Screw the Ministry Cause it Can't Screw Back
by Reirei
Summary: CHAPTER 7 UP!!! NARCISSA AND REMUS ARE FINALLY HAPPY........................... for now. Tired of Goody Goody Gryffindors? Meet the Hogwarts Bad A$$es in all thier illegal glory. Marauders based fic, MWPP/Lily/Snape/Lucius/Narcissa and more! RnR please!
1. Note to Readers

Just a quick note before I start the story.  
  
This is my fourth time posting this story, if you are going to complain about the title because it's unsuitable for the ratings then please tell me, suggest something and I'll change it- I don't want to have to re-post!  
  
The original title for this story is: Fuck the Law Cause it Can't Fuck Back  
  
It has been changed to: Screw the Ministry Cause it Can't Screw Back  
  
If you have a better idea for a title, complaints that I haven't changed the original title over to the new one in the story or the fact that in every chapter title there is cussing please notify me and give me direction to change it and I'll be glad to comply- just please tell me and give me the chance to change it before ratting to FF.net!  
  
Thank you  
  
To everyone who posted a review, thank you!  
  
To everyone reading, thank you!  
  
-Here is my story........ 


	2. Chapter One: Screw The Ministry

Screw the Ministry Cause it Can't Screw Back  
  
(Originally Titled: Fuck the Law 'Cause it Can't Fuck Back)  
  
By: Reirei no miko  
  
Summary: Narcissa is a fifteen year old runaway, wanted by the ministry, muggle police and her father for theft, fights, drug trafficking and prostitution, but what happens when she's caught and returned to the life she's fleeing? Can her fellow Gryffindors save her in time?  
  
Please e-mail me at: Reirei_no_miko@hotmail.com feel free to send a new title idea, opinions and comments as well!  
  
If you want it: Just tell me, I love to share!  
  
Fan Art: Please? Pretty, pretty please?  
  
Note: This whole idea is based off of a picture by Tina, you can go see it at: www.geocities.com/mwppmap it's under art, requests Narcissa and Lily, mind Narcissa is wearing Slytherin colours but.......  
  
Note 2: My cannon was the books- the third movie where the Marauders are introduced isn't even a movie yet so La-Di-Da  
  
Warnings: This chapter: PG-13 swearing and adult situations Whole Story: R for angst, rape, torture and psychological manipulation  
  
Note 3: I wanted to make this NC-17 but because of the new guidelines I can't, could someone please post this where that's accepted?  
  
Reirei: I don't own anything but my own plot and version of Narcissa- and I'm glad J.K. Rowling wrote what she did so we could screw around with it- which is all I'm doing people, screwing around. The books will come into play and everything in them will happen, I promise! Draco won't change nor with -ANY- dialogue not work......  
  
I'll shut up now.  
  
Chapter 1- Fuck the Ministry  
  
It was never easy, getting back on the train, submitting herself back under the control of the administration. She enjoyed her freedom much too much to give it up just for an education she really didn't need. But if she wanted to stay out of the Ministry's Juvenile Delinquent Center- she had no choice.  
  
She ran a hand through her hair, naturally silky, honey blonde now dyed a dull brown with copper streaks and cropped to sit just above chine length. She'd gelled it to stick out at every angle in unruly spikes- it was her last chance to rebel through her appearance after all- best go out with a kick.  
  
That's how she always went out, after all, with a kick. All one had to do was mention 'home', 'Hogwarts' or 'school' and they'd be sure to receive one- in the face if possible. She didn't look it but Narcissa Silvermoon could pack a punch and throw a kick capable of loosening some teeth if she so saw fit.  
  
That happened when you grew up on the run. Learning to fight, rebellion and no respect for authority. But running was what she did best, she needed to- it was her only chance of survival.  
  
She had thankfully avoided seeing her father for the past three years because of her aptitude in running skills. She'd been successfully running from him for the past three years....in her second year at Hogwarts though he'd come to see her on her birthday- she'd never forget that particular birthday present...  
  
She shook her head- no need to pass down memory lane right now. She knew that even thinking about the beating she'd received while turning twelve was enough to give her nightmares for the next week- she didn't need to make school even more hellish then it already was.  
  
But, she had to admit, that physical demonstration of her father's hatred towards her had lead to a tentative compromise between herself and Albus Dumbledore- the headmaster would compassionately prevent her father from visiting her during school if she showed up at Kings Cross Station for the beginning of term every year. Her summers, they had agreed, were hers to do with as she pleased- she pleased running from the Ministry who tried to return her to her father. Normally going overseas to escape their reach of power she earned enough money to order new school things and live off whatever she could find. It was a hard, unpredictable life but anything was better then living with him...  
  
She shuddered, last year he'd put out a 'lost child' report with a considerable amount of money attached for the one who brought her home- she'd almost died of fear when caught.  
  
Thankfully Professor McGonagall had appeared like an angle from heaven, paid the man off and put her up for the remaining of the summer.  
  
Unfortunately while bidding for adoption rights (of which Narcissa had agreed wholeheartedly) the Ministry had tracked Narcissa to drug trafficking in Mexico and off she'd flown again. It was because of the Professors' agreeing to questioning under Veritaserum that she'd escaped imprisonment for 'housing a criminal', of which Narcissa was eternally grateful. She viewed Minerva -for that's what she'd been allowed to call her during her stay and almost adoption that summer- as an aunt/mother figure in her life, she'd've died of sorrow if any harm had come to the lady she so admired, especially if it was her fault.  
  
After that Albus Dumbledore had petitioned for having her trafficking case dropped as long as she remain in school- he even went so far as to offer to be her parole officer. And went it all came down to it, ever member of the jury knew of Mr. Silvermoons' abusive behavior (which was why his wife had filed for divorce just after the birth of their second child- Narcissa) and so it was dropped- as long as Thomas Silvermoon stayed out of the limelight for his abusiveness.  
  
Why didn't she just sue her father? Because she knew that he had more friends in higher positions then her friends, he would win any law suit she threw at him and she'd be forced to live with him then, as soon as she entered the Ministry she was at their mercy- she wasn't stupid, you couldn't escape the system, just avoid it for as long as possible. And so here she sat, on the Hogwarts Express awaiting the long train ride to her *beloved* British boarding school where she'd wear long black robes to class, hand in stupid homework and ignore the petty bigotry of the best her fucked-up country could scrape up.  
  
She sighed heavily watching the other students crowd around the station. Hugging each other after summers spent apart, trading stories, comparing notes, getting last-minute parting gifts from parents and watching the brick wall from platform nine and three quarters for arriving friends. The only ones currently on the train were trembling first years and when they saw the closed door of her compartment they knew it was occupied.  
  
She'd arrived at two a.m. that morning- the ministry was always on her tail trying to figure out just where she disappeared to every summer. She did her best to keep them on their toes and far off her tracks.  
  
Last year she'd arrived mere seconds before the train departed, her taxi driver had been so surprised by the group of oddly dressed men that had suddenly jumped out of the shadows to assault him with questions that he'd forgotten to ask her for her fare- the Minister, Mr. Harold Potter had had to foot the bill.  
  
She still owed him the eighty-five pound taxi fare. she laughed mirthlessly wishing she could have seen his face at the price- she'd made sure to cut her arrival close knowing the Ministry would be waiting but little did they expect her to arrive in the country via muggle air services at Gatwick Airport and then boot it to Mayfair in an hour and twenty minutes only to fly past them through the barrier in Kings Cross Station after promising the cabby that some well dressed business men would be there to foot her bill.  
  
She's played their game that day. Games of assumption weren't her style, but it helped to think like the enemy on occasion. And yes, the Ministry was the enemy. They wanted to send her back to a father they *knew* was abusive. It was the Ministry she feared the most. But on that glorious day the morons had played into her hands.  
  
She'd known they'd assume several things. One being that she wouldn't miss the train- if she did she was fair game for them. Two being that she'd walk- they'd thought her poor enough not to be able to pay cab fare and so they been thrown off by having someone to question about her whereabouts- not that she'd told the man anything, but again they'd assumed he'd know. And third was that she'd have a trunk and possibly a cage with her to have to carry, thus giving them a chance to get her as she struggled with the monstrosities wizards carried around.  
  
They were so stupid.  
  
Every year before her heated departure from school she made sure to give her things over to a prof to care for while she ran. All of her possessions necessary for school remained either with Albus Dumbledore himself or Minerva, or Sybil Trelawny or any other teacher she felt comfortable with entrusting her things. And so while she raced for the train she'd had nothing with her but her rucksack containing a change of clothes, essentials and ID.  
  
Fake ID of course. That was how she kept the ministry off her toes so much, she had five different faces, names, social security numbers, birth certificates and bank accounts- all of which were 100% muggle and not traceable to Narcissa Silvermoon- Dark Witch.  
  
If there was a system, she'd fixed it, if there was a rule, she's broken it, if there was a document she'd forged it and if there was an exception, she was it.  
  
And somehow only one student in the entire school knew the full extent of her summer gallivanting. Of course the Hogwarts population knew she was a run away and doing parole time with Albus Dumbeldore but that was all they knew. The fact that she'd robbed a bank in Illinois, broken a cops jaw in Ontario and sold drugs in Australia was news to them.... at least she hoped it never was.  
  
Narcissa enjoyed flying under the radar, she didn't want the spotlight, glory or anything else that came with being popular. Fans turned fickle the moment you slipped, friends turned backs the moment you fell, people always watched out for number one- themselves.  
  
"You're brooding." Came a deep voice from the door of her compartment.  
  
She looked up to see Severus Snape leaning in the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest arrogantly. His shoulder length black hair practically dripped from his scalp in silky waves. While others thought it greasy Narcissa was the only out-of-house person to have ever gotten close enough to see that was others referred to as 'slimy tangles' was in fact hair so fine and glossy most girls fought for hours to achieve the perfection he loathed to admit was natural. Black eyes so black they shone green in candlelight and skin so white it seemed unhealthy made up what the student body described as 'the most repulsive fifth year'.  
  
"Not anymore." She smiled. The six-foot-even Slytherin gracefully pushed himself off of his doorframe letting it slide closed behind him and slid over to the seat opposite her. His long fingered hand ran through his hair languidly, almost absently, as he too turned to look out the window.  
  
Between them, words were not needed. Their deep friendship and thorough respect spread to the point of a blood bond they had shared in third year. After the first train ride of their first day the two of them had found each other and both refused to let go. They were the exception to Hogwarts bigotry. They were proof that inter-house relationships were possible.  
  
Of course Narcissas' fellow Gryffindors didn't like it- but then Gryffindors were practically worshipped at Hogwarts, the golden children, kind, helpful and compassionate. Narcissa was none of these things.  
  
On the other hand Slytherins were viewed as shallow and evil.  
  
It was funny how the Slytherins were the ones that didn't condone their friendship like the Gryffindors did....  
  
"You don't make a convincing brunette." Severus said at last. She turned her eyes to her friends who was leaning back in his seat, his haunting gaze fixed on her like he was trying to absorb every feature not already ingrained into his mind. She blinked at him and leaned back, fixing her gaze against his defiantly under her makeup elongated lashes.  
  
"You don't make a convincing romantic." She countered.  
  
A slow smile broke out across Severus' face and he gave a slow heavy laugh that shook his chest under his tight black tank top. "That's a secret- Lady Macbeth."  
  
"Aye, Romeo." She winked at him giving him a lopsided grin. Her eyes traveled him another moment, a heavy silver chain around his neck with his family crest dangling from it in brightly polished silver glinted at her from just between his pectorals. Flat stomach, thin waist and femininely jutting hips gave way to long slender legs covered with black dress pants and glossy black dress shoes met her appreciative eyes.  
  
"Like what you see?" he quipped glancing at her from the corner of his eyes, lips quirked mischievously- he'd caught her giving him the once over, a second time.  
  
"Always. You look buff." She commented glancing at his arms and chest.  
  
"I got a horse for my birthday from Da. I spent as much time as possible in the stables. English, Western, Rodio you name the style of equestrianism I learned it. I can shoot an arrow at a marker fifty feet away while riding Storm." He said proudly flexing his biceps for her amusement.  
  
"Maybe you'll make Beater on the house team this year." She said.  
  
"I hope so. I hear James is trying for seeker and Black for chaser- I'd love to kick some Gryffindor ass."  
  
"I'd like to see you do it."  
  
"You should try out, you'd be an awesome keeper."  
  
"I'll tryout, we both know it. But I'd be too busy trying to hit Black or Potter to do much good." She gave an evil sneer and casually flicked some dirt from her shoulder. "Besides Longbottom in captain and we both know how much Frank hates me."  
  
There was an uneasy silence between them for a moment. Some people passed by in the hall and Severus muttered something about only having three minutes left until the train would be leaving. Narcissa nodded absently and then jumped as she remembered the gift she'd bought him. "I was in Atlanta!" she stated as if that would solve world hunger. She grabbed her rucksack and Severus winced- it had a few more patches and a couple extra 'stitch-ups' in the nearly gray faded jean. It sported a few more press-ons with things like 'Fuck The World' and 'I'm a Fugitive/You Didn't See Me' embroidered in vibrant colours on it. He'd always despised the old bag and had offered on countless times to replace it, but Narcissa said it had character and cherished it. He gave a small laugh as he read 'Don't piss me off, I'm running out of places to hide the bodies' written in thick black marker down one side- he's bet money she'd stolen that from a muggle bumper sticker.  
  
Triumphantly she pulled out a package and Severus caught the cigarettes with one hand. He gave her a two fingered salute to his forehead before tucking the 'cancer sticks' safely where the teachers wouldn't see them. Severus didn't smoke a lot, in fact he only did it casually but he did enjoy it and Atlanta cigarettes were his all time favorite.  
  
The platform was emptied save for a few concerned mothers and the last- minute mad-dashers scattered here and there. The train gave a lurch and started up slowly, pulling out of the station and picking up pace. The scenery started to whiz by the window- they were on their way to Narcissas bane and Severus' haven.  
  
"Here we go." She turned back to him, hitching up her jean sleeved corset top and fixing her jeans to be more comfortable. She kicked off her shoes, sending the worn sneakers flying across the cabin. Leaning her back against the wall of the compartment she picked at her already chipped black nail polish.  
  
Severus pulled out his wand from where it was tucked near the small of his back and began playing with it, much as a majorette would a baton. He spun it into the air and caught it, watching it as if mesmerized.  
  
"They taught it to me."  
  
"Oh?" //The Unforgivables..//  
  
"I preformed it on a cat."  
  
"Ah."  
  
"He touched me again......He's so cold..... he told me my skin made him feel high... he was high at the time though....It hurt."  
  
Narcissa raised her navy blue painted eyes to her friend. She said nothing. If wanted to talk about it more, he would ask. If he needed time, she'd give it to him. Anything they shared was offered, not pushed. She ran a suddenly dry tongue over black-red painted lips. Her and Severus were very much the same in very different ways. Both were from Dark families, Severus lived with both his parents, born, raised and taught in Snape Mansion. Narcissa ran away from the Silvermoon estate with her mother when she was eight and at the death of her mother at age ten she'd been returned to her father for the summer before attending Hogwarts- she'd been running since. But beyond that- neither of them had ever experienced love. Sex, yes. Love, no. Sex for any reason but love- yes. Both had been beaten by their parents, both knew that upon return to their parents they'd be beaten, neither were liked much in school outside a very select group of people, both were keeping secrets from the other, both knew the other was keeping secrets but wouldn't push and each had saved the other from suicide.  
  
Severus was raped on a continual basis at home. By Tom Riddle, with whom his father also shared his bed, by his father, his mother, Lucifer Malfoy and anyone else who happened to be visiting was known to Narcissa as having taken advantage of her friend. Because of this he did not approach members of any sex for relationships- he was scared of sex, he was scared of men and women alike, but he was too proud to admit this fear and Narcissa respected this. And so he suffered jabs at being asexual- or not having reached puberty, though that was just idiocy to say because it was obvious by the depth of his voice and his stature that he was indeed a man.  
  
Sexual pursuit was something that Narcissa never participated in either, though she too had had her share of rape courtesy of her father and brothel owners, she also worked as a stripper and took some on the side 'favors' to get more cash. She also didn't want to drag someone into her world of loneliness and ministry suspicion so she refrained from corrupting the innocents of Hogwarts..  
  
Because of this it was a common jib thrown at them that they fucked each other senseless every chance they got. But they took it in stride. They were friends and neither could ever bring themselves to fall in love with the other- both were too unpredictable, too independent, too head strong, too on edge and much too emotionally stressed to do either a world of good on that level- they'd drag each other down until they ended up killing each other, or themselves.  
  
The door to their compartment opened, both raised their eyes to see Aranna Finch, a Ravenclaw, come in. She was a cute girl, her hair was a tad too long and the bags under her eyes sported a little too much makeup but her smile was genuine and her laughter honest. Ara, as they called her, was the most brilliant girl in her house, but her tendency to drop into substance abuse, depression and self-mutilation brought her marks to just above passing- as long as she was high for her exam she could pass with flying colours. True to her house she wore a navy blue pullover and bronzed jeans that looked stiff. Had the sleeves been short Narcissa was positive she'd see track marks along the girls' pale flesh- but not for long.  
  
"You look well, Ara."  
  
"Yeah, I'm flying." She quirked back, falling into the seat beside Narcissa and staring off into space. She gave a harsh sounding laugh that failed to reach past her lips and fell dead short of sounding convincing. She really was flying, her eyes were dilated and her breathing was deep and shallow. Narcissa flipped her wrist, snapping her wand free of the quick release straps she kept on her upper arm for convenience sake and rolled up the black haired girls' sleeves for her. There they were, black, blue, green, bloody and fresh. It looked like she had slit a wrist again, only one as usual, and that she'd been running out of places to inject, cut, stab or mutilate herself. Narcissa shook her head, she knew what it was like to be here and she only hoped someone would pull Ara out before she died of it.  
  
Just as Narcissa finished the last hiding charm, willing the marks to become invisible, entered Justin Fletchley. He was shorter then most boys his age by now, almost by a head, sweet faced, dirty blond hair, slight shoulders, lean and barely muscled he hid in the shadows, did his homework and stayed out of trouble mostly. He didn't speak directly to anyone and offered nothing but barking respect to anyone his senior. Little did many know that young fifteen-year-old Justin lived with his ageing grandmother and worked day and night to keep the muggle foster society off their family's backs. He supported not only the old woman but two sisters, four brothers and a baby cousin as well. Because of this he slaved summers to earn enough to keep their small apartment and heating going all year round while his brothers helped stalk shelves at the corner store they lived over and his sister sewed clothes for them to keep warm from material donated by charities. Justin was lucky to be able to make it to school every year, it had been his parents dieing wish to see him trained under Albus Dumbledore and because of this Justin did not pay for his education, the headmaster saw to it that he got it free, because of his hardships. Justin was a well liked, thought quiet, Hufflepuff.  
  
He'd sworn to both Severus and Narcissa that he would marry Aranna some day and they'd have *one* child whom he would name after the appropriately sexed parent. They had both believed him.  
  
And so together they were the school misfits- and they didn't want it any other way.  
  
Justin seated himself, his cords were tattered and frayed but he wore them as if they shone and his hair and face were dirty but he smiled bravely and sat tall. "I'm glad you came back Narcissa, I didn't see you rushing for the train and I was hoping you hadn't missed it. Severus you look well, those are very nice shoes." He stole a glance at Ara and saw her gazing goofily up at the ceiling. "What's she on today?"  
  
"I don't know- she says she's flying if that's any help." Severus said solemnly staring at his hands, he'd once joked about concocting a drug just for Ara and naming it after her, she'd thought he was serious had taken the news of it being a joke badly, Severus hadn't been able to look at her in the eye- high or not- since.  
  
"Well, well, well if it isn't dumb, dumber, asshole and bitch back at school."  
  
Three pairs of eyes turned to fix on one Mr. Sirius Black lounging in the doorframe. "I'm sad to see you've all decided to return and torture us all with your presence. I'd thought you'd be smart enough to stay away by now." He frowned. Narcissa, Severus and Justin were on their feet at once.  
  
"There are no teachers here to save your sorry ass, Black. Go crawl back under the rock where you came from or they'll only be pieces left."  
  
"Don't get your knickers in a knot Snape I just thought I'd come say hello- tell you to wash your greasy hair and wish you all a happy little drug sucking orgy." He clipped his expensive looking black boots on the floor, turned his dark jean clad rear away, shrugged his red silk shirt a little higher on his tall, muscled frame and shut their compartment door.  
  
They all sat down warily. Black was known to insult when no one but they were around and show up later with his goodie-goodie Gryffindor friends when their anger had piqued only to get them in trouble. Mind, it had stopped working in second year he still enjoyed knowing they would hurt him while he was out numbered for fear of expulsion. Expulsion was their greatest fear.  
  
Ara sighed happily in her own little world, obliviously content to sigh at nothing.  
  
Severus glowered, a common expression for him to wear.  
  
Justin yawned and stretched before curling up to sleep.  
  
Narcissa folded her arms across her chest and fixed her eyes out the window finding solace in the silence of her friends and deep thrum of the train.  
  
This year was going to be just like every other. 


	3. Chapter Two: Fuck My Life

Screw the Ministry Cause it Can't Screw Back  
  
(Originally Titled: Fuck the Law 'Cause it Can't Fuck Back)  
  
By: Reirei no miko  
  
Summary: Narcissa Silvermoon is a renowned runaway, she's avoided us for the past four years, she knows dark magic, muggle fleeing maneuvers and hand to hand combat- she's armed with more then just a gun, now thanks to Mr. Black we'll finally catch her....  
  
Please e-mail me at: Reirei_no_miko@hotmail.com feel free to send a new title idea, opinions and comments as well!  
  
If you want it: Just tell me, I love to share!  
  
Fan Art: Please? Pretty, pretty please?  
  
Note: This whole idea is based off of a picture by Tina, you can go see it at: uation to expose Sirius to his choice of first potential girlfriend he gripped her hand harder and tugged her into the hallway torchlight where she could be seen in all her short hair, purple eyed glory.  
  
Black stopped, Narcissa snarled, Remus waited.  
  
Silence reigned for a minute before Black cleared his throat and quite blatantly looked Narcissa from head to toe, "Honestly Rem, if you were that desperate I would've arranged something."  
  
Narcissa darted forward, malice intent written in her smell and Remus held her back. "You know what Remus, I don't think this will work after all- we're two very different people, with two very different tastes." She wrenched her hand from his and with a voice to melt metal growled 'pink fairies' at the Fat Lady and swooped into the common room.  
  
"No big loss," shrugged his friend, running a hand through shoulder length black hair, "you can do better." With a slap on the back they entered the common room, Remus feeling as if he'd been hit by a bus.  
  
//This close.....I was this close......//  
  
"Hey Rem, Siri, first Quidditch match of the season tomorrow, you excited?" said James as they entered the warm, red room.  
  
Sirius answered something, Remus ignored them both and rushed for his bed, praying everything was just a bad dream.  
  
*Jericho is a name that means 'moon city'..... evil aren't I? 


	4. Chapter Three: Fucking Cheaters

Screw the Ministry Cause it Can't Screw Back  
  
(Originally Titled: Fuck the Law 'Cause it Can't Fuck Back)  
  
By: Reirei no miko (Reirei_no_miko@hotmail.com)  
  
I'm stopping with all the annoying notes, if you want to read them, see chapters 1&2 (but I still want fan art! Please? Somebody?)  
  
Warnings: This chapter: PG-13 swearing and adult situations Whole Story: R for angst, rape, torture and psychological manipulation  
  
Chapter 3- Fucking Cheaters  
  
Quidditch was the main topic of conversation about them. He'd been put on a reserve team for the Slytherins and so wouldn't be playing any house matches but it got him closer to the house team for next year. Narcissa had been told blatantly by Frank Longbottom that that her grades weren't good enough to make even reserves and she'd backed down from try-outs all together. He ate a spoonful of oatmeal thoughtfully contemplating hexing Longbottom into next week........  
  
But Severus Snape was having much more fun glaring at one Remus Lupin. He was making him nervous and he relished the power surge that provided. Of course Lupin had every right to be nervous, Severus was going to jump him, beat him and hopefully do some permanent damage. All hatred by association beside, Lupin would be meeting a very painful death...... soon.  
  
Narcissas' casual crush on him had escalated to the point where if she were a normal girl she'd be sighing every moment or so, giggling and fawning over him every chance she got and worshipping the ground he walked on.... thankfully she was much more discreet then that and the only way Severus had figured her fancy out was because she mentioned his *name* while talking of the 'Golden Gits'- they were a group, not a group of individuals, but by that subtle hint, he'd discovered her weakness: Loony, Loopy, Lupin.  
  
It could have been worse, it could have been Black, or Lupin could have taken her up on it.  
  
He hadn't.  
  
Severus knew Narcissa better than anyone in the school, she and 'Remus' hadn't come to a friendship last night when he'd left them alone, if they had, Narcissa would be eating with him, getting to know him, -in the room- even. But she wasn't. He couldn't see her anywhere.  
  
Beside him Mizelle Bulstrode was chatting with her twin brother, a Ravenclaw sixth year, about their potions master, Arsenius Jiggers, a new author of their current potions manual Magical Drafts and Potions. Byrant Parkinson, never one to be quiet, was laughing loudly with his sixth year dorm-mate Aubrey Nott, a Slytherin Beater while the Slytherin fifth years chatted back and forth, ignoring Severus' dark glares at the Gryffindors, which were only common.  
  
Lukas Macnair, Kern Lastrange and Everet Avery were all poking fun at something or other but the emotions surrounding their breakfast was strained, it was their first Quidditch match today and the first time Macnair would be playing as House Team Chaser. Of course the entire school was wearing red and gold this morning to show their support for the Gryffindor team, but that's how Hogwarts worked, every adventure needed a villain, and didn't the Slytherins make pretty targets?  
  
People were drifting into and out of the Great Hall, a Thursday was an unconventional day for a Quidditch match but no one was complaining, it was a day out of classes. Severus turned his eyes back to Lupin for a moment, Black was beside him telling an animated joke and everyone at the table was listening. Sirius hit his punch line, emphasizing it with a bang on the table and everyone laughed, except Lupin who was too busy staring at the entrance to the Great Hall.  
  
He turned his eyes to see Narcissa standing there, she'd re-dyed her two inch long hair metallic silver with two pieces of green at the very front. It stuck up at odd angles, gelled into spikes like on their first day, and she was wearing a long, thick plain black robe with no house tie around her neck.  
  
The Slytherin table erupted in cheers and she smiled a greeting to them. Black was on his feet in outrage, which was no surprise, Narcissa had never so out rightly defied her house before now, neither so publicly. She gave a small, one fingered, wave to Black and arrogantly strode to the Slytherin table where she sat beside Severus after Macnair had moved over to give her some room.  
  
"Nicely done. I'm enjoying your hair, *Nancy*."  
  
"If you weren't so cute, Nott, I'd kick you." Severus was the only one allowed to use sappy nicknames, unless Narcissa was in a good mood. He humphed triumphantly, it had been said that unless one could figure out why he called her 'Tala' they weren't allowed to use it- so far no one could and that was the only nickname his friend tolerated without retorting with threats.  
  
"You really should get re-sorted you know, you'd make a great Slytherin."  
  
"And not rub -this- in Blacks face at every waking moment?" Narcissa gave a playfully shocked look and tisked at Macnair.  
  
The table laughed and went back to Quidditch talk, the girls super excited. In fact the entire table was more animated than usual, pre-game stress, it seemed. Narcissa was quickly lost in conversations, her presence accepted and unquestioned, it wasn't the first time she'd eaten with them, it wouldn't be the last, and she just fit in like everyone else, after all. "So, things with Lupin?" Severus asked quietly, tipping his head to the side.  
  
"Not my type." She said, stuffing oatmeal into her mouth and taking a swing of pumpkin juice.  
  
"Not yours or not Blacks' type?"  
  
"Anyone who *is* Blacks' type is not mine."  
  
"What did he say?"  
  
"He trusted me, he respected me..... The usual Gryffindor romantic crap."  
  
"Right." He didn't say a word, by the look on Lupins' face alone as he watched Narcissa turn and flirt with Avery, Severus could tell that his fellow fifth year was head over heels for his now silver haired best friend. He could also tell that Narcissas' rejection wasn't of Remus, but of his group of friends, she'd never simply brush off a guy saying 'not my type'; she'd never let herself fall in the first place until she knew he -was- her type.  
  
At that moment a heavy hand fell on Narcissas' shoulder and she turned her head to look up at a group of Seventh years, Lucius Malfoy, Seeker of the Slytherin House Team, Satelliting him were Gregory Goyle and Jeriath Crabbe, two huge brutes who did all of Lucius' dirty work when their 'ring leader' was too lazy and his gaggle of giggling admirers. Of course Lucius was powerful, rich and in line for a high ranking ministry job as soon as he graduated, so he was revered among his house and feared among others.  
  
He was also extremely good looking.  
  
A long, pointed face, thick, blond hair that fell well past the small of his back, bright, scheming blue eyes that hide everything but possessed all the knowledge of mankind, a strong, lean build and the confidence, suave and poise of an aristocrat were some of the charms he possessed, needless to say his bed was never empty.  
  
And it seemed he was looking for something a little wilder to enjoy at the moment.  
  
"Narcissa," he purred in her ear, his voice ringing the way only he could make it, so the whole table could hear but so everyone knew they were eavesdropping, "I see you'll be cheering my team on today, would you like to come to the after party as well?"  
  
An invitation, Severus was floored, Lucius normally just demanded a shag.  
  
"I'll be there." Narcissa smiled sweetly, glancing over to Lupin so quickly only Severus knew what she'd done because he'd been watching for it. The Gryffindors' eyes narrowed as Malfoy kissed the inside of her wrist and left triumphantly while Remus sat and watched, red faced and distraught.  
  
Severus was pulled back to the here and now by Avery turning to Narcissa, "It's about time he noticed you, Nancy, we were beginning to wonder if he was blind."  
  
"No, he's just blond." She quipped and got a laugh from them all.  
  
"You sure have gotten pretty though, Ms Silvermoon, if things don't work well with Malfoy, would you go to the Yule Ball with me?" Lestrange asked, leaning over the table and giving her a 'puppy dog' face.  
  
"Things are going nowhere with Malfoy and maybe if you asked properly, I would, Mister Kern."  
  
They smiled at each other and went back to breakfast, Narcissa digging in along with the rest of them.  
  
After the meal, more jokes, several dark Gryffindor looks and several flirting sessions later Severus was walking Narcissa to the Quidditch pitch along with the rest of his house.  
  
They took their seats in the green and silver bandstands watching all the other houses seat themselves, waving red and gold flags and shouting Gryffindor player names sporadically. They shot dirty looks at the Slytherin as well but the house stayed seated, patiently waiting for the game to commence. The rest of the school seemed a little put out, normally the Slytherins would try to outscream the other three houses which would lead to a yelling match......... but this was odd.  
  
Of course, it was a renown fact in school that Slytherins played dirty, but no one was expecting them to -*get dirty*- this time.  
  
Harper Jordan was seated with the headmaster and teachers in the stands waiting to announce the game. The entire school had made an appearance, it seemed, and three-quarters were wearing Gryffindor regalia, there were so many lions pouncing around on flags, banners and shirts the Slytherin were getting sick. The day was bright, the sun was shining and although it was November there was no snow to be seen. In fact most students only had sweaters and scarves on, why most Slytherins were wearing long black coats was a mystery.  
  
Not to them, or their team, of course.  
  
"Here on this sunny afternoon at Hogwarts we assemble for the first Quidditch match of the season. The houses playing are Grrrrryffindor and Slytherin!" announced Harpers voice, booming around the pitch. The crowds erupted in excited cheers as Jordan began naming off team players. "Playing for Gryffindor is Captain and Head Boy Frank Longbottom as a Chaser, Arthur Weasley, Chaser, Mariève Finnigan, Chaser, Ronald Patil Keeper, Warren Abbot, Beater, Sirius Black, Beater aaaaaaaaaaand JAMES POTTER, Grrrrryfindor SEEKER!" The red and gold portions of the stadium exploded with whistling and shouting, hollering and screaming. Black and Potter did a high-five in the air as the whizzed about triumphantly.  
  
"And here are the Slytherin Team," Jordan continued, "Nott, Macnair, Malfoy, Goyle, Parkinson, Avery and Dagger." There were hisses from all around as the Slytherins jumped up and for the first time put four times the effort into their cheers as the rest of the stands- not to mention put some good 'sonorus' charms in place so even the Hufflepuffs at the opposite ends of the pitch could hear them loud and clear.  
  
Severus smirked, every Gryffindor teams member introduced with full name and position played, sounded off one by one and the Slytherins barely given the time of day with quickly announced last names...... he whished they had an impartial announcer at times, but today, today they would strike them *ALL* speechless.  
  
Today was a day to remember.  
  
The Quaffle had just been released, Madame Hooch throwing it up into the air when Mizelle Bulstrode let loose enough 'Dr. Filibusters Fabulous Wet- Start, No-Heat Fireworks' to blind a pitch in Durmstrang. With the attention of the entire school upon them every Slytherin girl stood up, carefully placed so they formed a perfection of spaced lines. The boys all ducked, so as to give them their space and with the embers of the silver and green lights flickering behind them shouted:  
  
WE'RE SEXY, WE'RE CUTE WE'RE SLYTHERIN TO BOOT GREAT BODIES, GREAT HAIR HEY BOYS YA WANNA STARE? WE'RE RICH, WE'RE HOT WE'RE EVERYTHING YOU'RE NOT!  
  
With the entirety of the school's attention on them, the girls (Narcissa included, Severus was pleased to note) began to strip off their black robes revealing tight Silver and Green uniforms underneath. Long-sleeved, belly revealing tops, glinting metallic in the mid-day sun, showing off lean stomachs and short, kilt-like skirts with green underneath the barely bum- covering silver. And a two headed snake painted metallic green that slithered from between breasts, around a torso, tattooed on their backs and finishing just near crotch-line. Not a word was said, but everyone was watching.  
  
Including the Gryffindor Quidditch team.  
  
Of course the Slytherins were completely expecting this and so were scoring points left and right. Harper was sitting, as were all staff, mouths opened, jaws slack and at a loss for words.  
  
The girls continued:  
  
TWENTY-TWO TO FOURTY-FOUR OUR HOUSE TEAM, THEY'VE GOT THE SCORE! RA, RA, FIGHT, FIGHT OUR QUIDDITCH TEAMS' GOT IT RIGHT!  
  
Mizelle separated from the line, jumping forwards, never missing a beat and screamed for all to hear: "GIVE ME AN 'S'!"  
  
The girls behind her, thousand watt smiles illuminating their outfits replied: "S!"  
  
"GIVE ME AN 'L'!"  
  
"L!"  
  
"WAIT A MINUTE..."  
  
Then all together with enough cheer to light up Hogwarts on Christmas, "YOU CAN'T SPELL; GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
It seemed their name jumped started the team. They shook themselves and their attentions back to reality and at exactly ninety points behind they began a wild chase to stop Mcnair, Parkinson and Dagger who were scoring tirelessly on the Gryffindor goal posts behind Ronald Patils' back.  
  
Sirius who was red faced in anger at himself and his team aimed a bludger at Mcnair who dodged it easily. He spun looking for the nearest target to again throw his temper at but stopped short as the 'cheerleaders' began another chant:  
  
WHAM BAM THANK YOU MA'AM A SLYTHERIN WON'T TAKE THAT SHAM BLACK, WE WON'T TAKE YOUR CRAP NOOOOOOOOO MOOOOOOOOOOR!  
  
And then, it made his bones scowl as they began *hissing*, all of them, an entire stand full of Slytherins hissing at *him*...... if looks could kill Severus knew they'd all be stone cold dead haunting the pitch and having tea with Myrtle by the lake.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
He gripped his broom harder, eyes fixated on the *GITS* that were jumping up and down, this was -Quidditch- not some Muggle football game!  
  
And using his *name*, a personal insult? His bat in hand he was ready to crush a few snaky sculls.  
  
"Sirius," came a warning voice from just below him, "play the game, ignore them...."  
  
He shot a look at James, nodded and tried to focus on the game but they were too loud, deafened cheers he could handle because the wind was strong but amplified shouting? It started up again, he shook with rage, how dare they do this during a qualifying match?!  
  
'SLYTHERIN STRUT BEATS GRYFFINDOR BUTT SLYTHERIN STRIDE BREAKS GRYFFINDOR PRIDE SLYTHERIN WINS OVER GRYFFINDOR SKINS HISSING WON'T HOLD US DOWN! TRY IT AND YOU'RE SURE TO DROWN! WANNA PIECE OF THIS? TRY IT, GO ON, -HISS-! WE GET IT ALL THE TIME YOU'VE TREATED US LIKE SLIME WE'VE TIERED OF YOUR CRAP LOOK OUT! WATCH YOUR BACK!  
  
It happened so fast, James shouted a warning pointing over his shoulder. Sirius turned his head just in time to dart out of Everet Avery's way. The green Seeker shot like a bullet past him and James, seeing the snitch inches from the Slytherins' hand was in hot pursuit.  
  
The bludger caught Sirius in the side of the head with an explosion of lights and searing pain, //I was wondering what James was warning about.....// the green turf faded from sight, black ink smearing it and distorting it- flying...... without a broomstick....... didn't work....  
  
He came to with such clarity the colours blinded him a moment. //I couldn't have been out long// He'd still been in the air when he'd passed out and was still floating, but now he was being held by the arm by someone on a broom. It wasn't his first knock to the head courtesy of a bludger and Sirius shook off the last of the dizziness. His shoulder hurt from being suspended by one arm but he was still a good twenty feet in the air. "Wow James, thanks-"  
  
He looked up to find not his friend who was always there to save him before, but Lucius Malfoy sneering down at him. "Don't insult my good looks, Black, or I may drop you yet."  
  
"Put me-"  
  
"Choose you're words wisely- Black." Lucius turned his piercing blue eyes to the ground before turning his leer back to his captive. Sirius shifted a moment, he rather wouldn't be dropped, "take me to the stands then." He said deliberately slow, hoping to sound threatening.  
  
He almost protested when Malfoy started off towards the Slytherin stands but wasn't about to complain, finding it safer to save biting remarks for later, when his feet was on solid ground. Remus and Peter were there, ready to catch him, out of breath it seemed from running to his aid from the other side of the pitch.  
  
Malfoy dropped him roughly the last couple of feet, but he expected that and caught himself on Remus' shoulder for a moment before finding his center of gravity and righting himself. Only to find that he was surrounded by happy, rejoicing Slytherins.  
  
James landed lightly beside him, shoulders down, head stooped. He turned to his good friend, more than a little puzzled, "You caught the snitch, right?"  
  
The heavy sigh was all he needed..... the bastards, cheating little rats, bloody mother gits, had won.  
  
"Two-hundred and sixty!" the silver and green clad students were yelling.  
  
//Oh no.... they've won two-sixty to ten.......//  
  
Sirius groaned, this wasn't turning out to be his day, never mind that Remus wasn't speaking to him, James had had a spat with Lily and Peter was depressed about failing a test, they'd lost Quidditch because of *cheering*...... he shook his head -beyond-depressed, James didn't seem much better, Peter was looking a tad nervous and Remus...Remus was staring at Narcissa whom Sirius swiveled his head to look at.  
  
There she was in all her silver-haired glory. Tight, wiry body in the tight Slytherin cheering costume, surrounded by similarly dressed girls and laughing boys. The House Team was there too, giving high-fives and admiring the girls they'd ignored in order to score points. And that *traitor* was in the thick of it jumping, hugging, laughing and excited enough to make him sick.  
  
"Bitch." Sirius muttered loud enough for his group to hear but quiet enough not to be heard by others.  
  
Remus gave a low growl in his throat and brushed past him, heading for the knot of Slytherins. Forcing his feet to catch up to the honey-haired boy Sirius caught the clearing of a nervous throat and felt the haughty regard of several dozen eyes on him. "Congratulations and well played." Remus said clearly, never taking his eyes off of Narcissa.  
  
She looked from Black, to Potter to Remus sizing them all up, ignoring Peter, and then gave a small smile to the gold-eyed boy. She was about to say something when a hand landed on her shoulder and Lucius Malfoy leered at them all as if they were the scum of the earth. "You should all go- there's no room for filthy trash here." Narcissa turned to counter what the blond had said, looking offended, "Narcissa," Lucius purred in her ear, his eyes fixated on Remus, "you promised you'd be my date for the party, you *are* still coming." It wasn't a question and they all heard the unspoken threat behind his offer.  
  
Narcissas purple eyes gave Remus the once over again and shot a dirty look at Sirius. She nodded and Lucius gave a tug on her hand to pulled her down behind him on his broom. Lifting them both in the air and carrying them away, towards the castle.  
  
Sirius turned around, he needed a shower, and a nap, what better way to spend the afternoon they weren't going to waste partying?  
  
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Severus approach Remus and barely heard what was said: "She'll choose you over that blond whore- try or die Lupin."  
  
//The hell he'll try, Snape..... the hell he will......// 


	5. Chapter Four: Fuck The Facts

Screw the Ministry Cause it Can't Screw Back  
  
By: Reirei no miko: Reirei_no_miko@hotmail.com  
  
Warnings: This chapter: PG-13 swearing and adult situations Whole Story: R for angst, rape, torture and psychological manipulation  
  
Chapter 4- Fuck the Facts  
  
She wasn't drunk; when one had a plastered Lucius Malfoy attached to your hip, you stayed stone cold sober. Of course, he'd offered, she refused, he'd pushed, she'd shoved, he'd insisted, she'd left.......but that was to be expected.  
  
The hallway was dark and empty and Narcissa tightened her borrowed shirt around herself, the damp draft was cutting through even one of Severus' silk shirts. She thought back on the evening and sighed, the alcohol had run swiftly and freely, most of the Slytherins would be running to Severus for an anti-hangover potion in the morning. It had been spiked butterbeer for the first years and straight shots for the rest over the past five hours.  
  
The pink, frilly, Fat Lady was thankfully awake but she frowned at Narcissa all the same, "Everyone looked pretty down earlier, they've all locked themselves in the tower all day, but where have you been?"  
  
Not in the mood to talk she shrugged off the question answering 'with friends' quietly.  
  
"Oh," obviously the portrait was in a talkative mood and smiled sadly, "I heard we lost. "  
  
Now irritated, tired and wanting a bath desperately to wash herself of Malfoy cologne she sighed, "Depends on who you ask. Pink Fairies."  
  
Put off the portrait swung open and Narcissa climbed into her fire-lit common room. The crimson carpet was awash with red light dancing around, shadows jumping gently near the cackling flames. She shut the portrait behind her and turned to the stairs, not before movement caught her eye. She turned towards it, a form rising from a wing backed chair, long black hair falling over strong, broad shoulders and piercing gray eyes.  
  
"Ah," he sneered, "here's the Slytherin whore now!"  
  
Her fists clenched at her side a retort rising instinctively to her pursed lips, "Your one to talk, Black, just how many people do you shag a night?"  
  
"At least I don't sink low enough to screw Malfoy."  
  
She grit her teeth, first the train, then Remus and now this- it had gone far enough, "But you'll fuck Hufflepuff first years? If getting on your knees isn't low enough Black, try taking it up the arse......unless James is already *providing*?"  
  
A fire burned deep within Sirius' eyes as they bore into hers. He stepped forward, around his chair where the flames leaping behind him gave off an eerie aura and approached her. "The fuck with this," he spat, nearly soaking her shoe, "you're going to stay away from Remus, he's too good for the likes of -you-."  
  
There were footsteps from the staircase and they both turned to see James and Remus standing there. James had pinned his Prefect badge to his bathrobe and held himself like a club bouncer, giving them equally harsh looks. Remus was watching them with a mixture of fear, guilt and apprehension. "Black," Sirius winced at the use of his last name by his friend, "Silvermoon, what's going on?"  
  
Narcissa drew herself up to full height but let Black speak, whatever she said, Black was going to win- James was his best friend after all.  
  
"Silvermoon missed curfew, James." Sirius gave his friend his notorious thousand-watt smile and stuck his hands in his school issue pants nonchalantly tossing both boys a wink.  
  
"Don't pull that crap, Sirius." This voice was harsh but held a feminine quality to it that was unmistakably the Gryffindor female Prefect.  
  
The four of them turned to a dark corner of the room where a shock of red hair sat in the shadows. Lily stood up, walked over, all eyes following her and came to stand at Narcissas' side. "Evans?"  
  
"I wonder, Black," Lily turned to him, glaring daggers, "what would McGonagall say to having one Gryffindor threaten another? That's not like us at all."  
  
"She's not like us." He snapped, Narcissa saw him shoot a glance at James. She immediately understood: James wouldn't stand up to Lily and Remus wouldn't say anything- Black was alone. Fear was radiating from him though he kept his cool, he wasn't used to fighting battles alone- battles against his fellow soldiers.  
  
She shook her head, "Evans, don't be stupid, he's right, this is my fight, don't piss off your friends."  
  
"You're my friend Narcissa." Lily put a hand on her shoulder, "I've been sharing a dorm room with you for five years and I don't care who you spend your time with, you're a Gryffindor all the same- just like all of us."  
  
Sirius spluttered, pointing an accusing finger, "She was with them today when they screwed over our Quidditch match! She's fucking *Lucius Malfoy*!"  
  
More footsteps on stone stairs, the soft padding of bare feet and an soft noise in the back of someone's throat turned all their heads to the spiral staircase once more: "It's about time he started mixing houses." Cassidy Clearwater said loudly coming to stand by Lily. Narcissa wasn't surprised she was up, Cassidy normally couldn't sleep until everyone in their room was settled. Her hair was all up in curlers, like usual, and her stuffed owl was tucked under one arm. Another girl, the final member of their dorm- room was Ethel Rendrake who stood two steps behind Cassidy, nodding vigorously, her braided hair bobbing with her head.  
  
"And those costumes looked cute- I'd have worn them too, if I'd been offered." Ethel pointed out. "Besides Narcissa just chose the best team, but don't we all? I mean, I live in London but during the world cup I always cheer for Australia, and no one judges -me- because of it."  
  
Sirius grew red in the face, "She's a bloody traitor!"  
  
"She's the smartest one here, Black! She's the only one here who's looked beyond house bigotry and found friends in Slytherin- not to mention elsewhere!"  
  
"She IS a Slytherin, have you seen her hair?"  
  
Narcissa scowled angrily, "Is that really what's bothering you Black? My hair?" she gave a derisive laugh at him and raised her hands. She touched her fingers to it and then her palms, running them through her hair, back towards the base of her neck. As her fingers met the strands their colour changed to a deep brown, bleeding the rich mahogany right to the roots. "Is that better? Maybe you want it longer?" she grabbed it by the roots and pulled, but as she tugged it grew, and grew.......and grew. It was now far past her waist and she glared at Sirius who watched her, like everyone else in the room, speechless. "Is there anything else bothering you, Sirius?"  
  
He shut his mouth, aware that he was slack jawed and gaping.  
  
Narcissa turned to give her dorm-mates a weak smile and pushed past to the staircase leading to their room where she rushed quickly, but not fast enough to look as if she was running away. She shut their dorm door and fell onto her bed, pulling the sheets up while still fully dressed, she was dirty, tired and hurt.........  
  
It was several minutes and great deal of shouting later that the girls came back in.  
  
"Narcissa?" Lily's voice floated over. " he was out of line and shouldn't have said what he did."  
  
Narcissa nodded, though the others couldn't see and said, "Goodnight, girls and....... Thank you." the looks they exchanged across the room over her head were so silent she could hear them.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The great hall was in an uproar. Lucius Malfoy, they were saying, heroically *saved* Sirius Black's -life-, Slytherin girls were the newest fad to be seen with and half the Gryffindors were missing......the -female- half.  
  
Severus sat watching, listening and waiting, an empty seat to one side and Avery to the other. Lestrang sat opposite him and they ate in quiet. None of the house bore signs of the heavy drinking they'd done the night before but Lucius Malfoy was in a mood to kill and so they stayed silent. Severus hid a smirk as those around him winced as Lucius' angry voice rose over the rumble of the hall in anger against Crabbe. He'd not succeeded in bedding Narcissa, for that Severus was glad, but his foul humour reflected that his sentiments to being so publicly shot down were far from amused.  
  
The doors to the Great Hall opened with a flourish and a sweet, high note floated through the air. All talking stopped and heads turned as the voice was joined but another and another until what sounded like a choir of angles was standing just outside the Great Hall. And then came the Hogwarts Song, loud, rich and clear, for once all together in melodious harmony. And the Gryffindor girls made their appearance. Walking hand in hand, two by two and singing they entered the hall- and everyone gaped.  
  
They'd all taken a page from Narcissas' book and dyed their hair - bright purple- the universal Hogwarts colour, with four streaks on the left side, bronze, black, gold and silver. On top of that each and every one sported the same shade of purple shirt with the words 'WE'RE ALL HOGWARTS STUDENTS' printed in green, blue, yellow and red print. As the song came to a close, the last notes drifting serenly to all listening ears they stopped. Lily and Narcissa who were heading the parade turned to each other.  
  
"Enjoy breakfast, Narcissa."  
  
"Why thank-you Lily, the same to you."  
  
They shook hands, waved to everyone else and as Lily sat down beside James at the Gryffindor table while Narcissa bee-lined it to her saved seat at Severus' side and every other girl who'd joined the spectacle went to either the Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw tables to eat- asking quietly if seats were taken, sitting with upper or lower classmen in most cases.  
  
Dumbledore stood, and began applauding. His hands voicing their appreciation for the act of anti-prejudice the girls had displayed rang loud and clear. Soon other teachers were standing and following his lead, clapping vigorously.....//It's about time...// Severus muttered to himself darkly turning a quirky smile at Narcissa who was too busy beaming at McGonagall to notice.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The rest of their day was spent changing hair colour for other girls and making pins with their new slogan on it for the rest of the school. She had been the only one to master Narcissas' hair spell, it was severely complicated and took a great deal of concentration but after a few failed attempts she'd gotten it right. Lily was on seventh heaven, who knew it took losing Quidditch to find a friend?  
  
Of course Narcissa had always been there, but never -there-. In every class it seemed she was sitting with someone from another house, she didn't join them for meals most of the time and in their room was quiet and solemn. It had never been a matter of hatred or anything so ingrained as that, but they had simply never had more than a very personal acquaintance with each other, that and respect, of course. But with the dealings of the previous day it had become obvious to Lily why Narcissa was a Gryffindor, brave enough to face the hatred of her entire house whom she had no choice but to deal with on a regular basis she cheered on her friends and participated in their highly entertaining lark. She'd told them all off last night when she'd been outnumbered and refused to back down from a face off with the most liked boy in Hogwarts who could ruin her with one word to his father -and- she'd worked a hefty bit of wandless magic several times over just to prove a point she felt needed to be made.  
  
Even now she was sitting with Severus Snape of all people in the Gryffindor common room, right under Blacks' nose pouring over some Spanish text. That took guts. Hair the same purple as that morning, Severus it seemed had complied to wearing their slogan pin but was doing his best to hid it between the folds of his cloak.  
  
She turned back to their conversation, Cassy and Ethel wear doing their DADA essay and still had a foot and two inches to write for the next day, James was talking to Peter about Herbology, Sirius was watching Remus who in turn was staring at Narcissa.  
  
The poor boy was head over heels for the girl, everyone knew, but Sirius, it seemed, had issues with that, as with most things. Watching Sirius' face go from pink, to red, to scarlet, to maroon was entertaining for a while but the more bitter his expression got, the closer to his wand his hand traveled. Remus, on the other hand, seemed content to sit and stare, glancing every so often at the opened book in his lap just for good measure.  
  
Cassidy looked up, "Lil, the wormwood needs to be added before or after the simmering of twenty minutes?"  
  
Lily turned to their paper and thought a moment. There was a muttering beside her, Sirius had leaned over, nudged Remus and was murmuring: 'nothing there', 'not much to see', 'show you', and 'watch this'. Catching her ear she turned but before she got two words out of her mouth Sirius had shot off a spell that flew through the fairly full common room hitting Narcissa in the back.  
  
Remus was on his feet immediately but Sirius' hand pulled him down in anticipation. Narcissa didn't notice a thing and continued to work as the four boys and three girls watched in horror- or in Blacks' case, delight as the spell took effect.  
  
A hole, staring near one shoulder where the spell had hit began growing in her robes. It ate away at the material and seemed to seep onto her school blouse beneath. With the vanishing material spreading at an outstanding rate Sirius began to chortle- everyone was too shocked to speak. Her blouse was vanishing- bra strap exposed to the curious onlookers. The louder Sirius got the more people in the room turned to stare.  
  
Narcissa reached a hand to scratch at her shoulder and upon meeting bare skin jumped up, knocking her chair back with a terrified shriek. The remnants of her robes fell to the floor, disappearing in a shock of smoke as her entire back, skirt and chest lost their cloth to the tissue-eating spell. Severus looked up at her outcry and his eyes widened in apprehension when she raised her arms to cover herself. Frightened tears flung themselves from her eyes as she doubled over in embarrassment.  
  
Severus was up in a flash, his black school robe about her trembling form in an instant and his wand out the next.  
  
No one said anything in the common room- eyes were darting back and forth from Severus to Sirius, as one stood smirking and the other glowered dangerously, the students seemed to be wondering who would make the first move.  
  
"That was a cheap, dirty trick, Black." Snape growled his hands resting on Narcissas' shoulders, the girl hadn't moved but stood shaking in his arms her head buried in his shoulder in shame.  
  
Sirius rose to his feet slowly, bringing his wand out with calculated movements. "What's the matter Snape, you'll share her with Malfoy but exposing her skinny arse to the rest is a crime?"  
  
"Why you bloody mother of a boggart, I'll-" he raised his wand just as Sirius brandished his own.  
  
A/N: Please review! Please? Pretty Please? With Several Cherries? Oh, next chapter Sirius gets nicer and..... Well the rest is a surprise! 


	6. Chapter Five: Fucking Over the Teachers

Screw the Ministry Cause it Can't Screw Back  
  
By: Reirei no miko: Reirei_no_miko@hotmail.com  
  
Sorry for the short chapter last time I just had so much to put in this one! Thanks for all the reviews (please if you're reading tell me if you like it or not and plus I'm looking for a new title....... Or do ya'll like this one?) anyway, enjoy, I promise there is some snogging coming up *soon*, we find out why Black and Narcissa hate each other this much, what's really going on with Severus, Lily, Lucius and Narcissa and....... dunh dunh dunh, meet the McGonagall of after school hours! Yikes!  
  
Warnings: This chapter: PG-13 swearing and adult situations Whole Story: R for angst, rape, torture and psychological manipulation  
  
Chapter 5- Fucking over the Teachers  
  
"Why you bloody mother of a boggart, I'll-" he raised his wand just as Sirius brandished his own.  
  
"Severus stop!" Lily, with the rest of the house spun to look at Narcissa who stood shaking in his oversized robe.  
  
"This....... this *trash* has no right saying or doing what he did!"  
  
"No, you're right he didn't, but we all know how this is going to end. House prejudice, Severus, you're a Slytherin in a Gryffindor common room, no matter what people say, you'll be blamed and I won't have you sitting in detention or even suspended because of that blood git!" she put a hand on his back and he reluctantly lowered his wand keeping his eyes fixated on Black to make sure he didn't pull a fast one.  
  
Narcissas' hands tightened on his shoulder for a moment, as if in silent thanks and Severus glared around the room.  
  
From within a group of seventh years Arthur Weasley stood up and strode forward, Frank Longbottom on his heels. The red-heads hand dropped onto Narcissas shoulder and she nearly jumped out of her skin. Giving them both a reassuring smile Arthur said quietly, "Well take care of this."  
  
Nodding and glaring around the room once, just for good measure, Severus said a brief 'see you tomorrow' and left, wand still gripped in his hand, shooting looks to melt ice at anyone in his path.  
  
Narcissa stooped to pick up her wand from where the melted robe pocket had let it drop and straightened herself up. She looked Black in the eye and met the gaze of every person who sat around him. As her eyes passed Lily's the red-head knew Narcissa wasn't going to fight, she looked too shaken, weak and venerable at that moment to do anything. The girl turned to Arthur who was glaring daggers at Black and said a quick 'thanks'. She turned and walked up the stairs, absolute silence haunting her, the click of the door resounding through the room.  
  
Lily turned to Black, as did every other girl and boy in the room. "That," said Lily with every bit of spite she had in her entire being, "was despicable. You're a disgusting piece of filth, Black, and I hope you get what's coming to you."  
  
"Lil, it was a joke- you always....... it was a -prank-!" Black defended, thrown off by her vehemence.  
  
"Some joke, Sirius. You don't -do- that, not to a girl!" James retorted, his face set thinly.  
  
"Jamie! She's no girl!"  
  
Black sought help elsewhere his eyes traveled the common room, resting and moving from one disgusted look to the next. Longbottom and Weasley seemed to have let Blacks own friends take care of the situation and as Clearwater stood up in was crystal clear Black was going to get what was coming to him.  
  
"Shut up Sirius. That was wrong, I though even *you* would know that." Cassidy retorted.  
  
Black looked stunned, "Cassy, Lil, come on! You're defending -Narcissa Silvermoon- here!"  
  
They turned their backs to him, Ethel rising and following along too, shooting Sirius a glare that made him flinch. He turned to James and tried again, "Prongs! It was good old fun! Just another joke!"  
  
"It's only a joke if people laugh Sirius. That wasn't funny."  
  
"Peter-"  
  
"Sirius...." Peter threw up his hands in defeat looking saddened and worried.  
  
"Moony-"  
  
Remus backed away from him, disgust written clearly across his face, he crossed his arms defensively across his chest and lowered his head, his shaggy honey hair falling to cover his eyes. "Don't." was all that passed his lips. It was enough for Sirius to pull away as if burned and screw up his face in disgusted realization.  
  
"NARCISSA SILVERMOON! GRYFFINDOR'S BITCH! THAT'S WHO YOU'RE DEFENDING?" he screamed, outraged. All wild gestures and quivering fists Sirius Black gave a mighty heavy of air and stormed dangerously to the portrait hole muttering darkly about 'needing air'.  
  
Lily looked to their group of fifth years and then up to their dorm-room door. Cassidy and Ethel nodded and the three of them marched up the stairs, leaving a bewildered, shocked and angry common room behind.  
  
"James," she heard Frank say as they walked away, "Make sure to inform him upon his return that he'll be serving a weeks' worth of detention with Filch for this."  
  
Lily nodded to herself, she was sure house points would be deducted by a teacher but detention would do Black some good. She knocked, it was only polite, and entered quietly, the other two following close behind.  
  
Dressed in her school night robe, Severus' school robe draped over the chest as the end of her bed, Narcissa sat at her desk, quill in hand.  
  
"No need to be formal, girls. I'm fine." She said, dipping the feather into the inkpot and scraping it across the paper without looking up. Lily sank onto her bed, Cassidy sitting beside her as Ethel went to rifle nervously through her wardrobe.  
  
"What, um, what are you doing?" Cassidy finally asked.  
  
Narcissa stopped and turned to give her a smile, "I only had one uniform, so I'm ordering another."  
  
"Sirius-"  
  
"-Had no right to do what he did, but he did it anyway and now it's in the past, right?" Narcissa finished dropping the quill and dripped wax onto the folded parchment. She pressed a small rubber seal into the red goo and tied it to an awaiting owls' leg to carry to the uniform makers. "If you don't mind girls, I'm so tired." Narcissa rose, went to her bed, pulled the curtains with a brave 'goodnight' and didn't say another word.  
  
The three of them exchanged looks, decided with a series of hand motions to let her be and got ready for bed themselves.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
They were staring, not that she blamed them, and it wasn't like she hadn't asked for it.  
  
She was going to be late, she sighed as the bell rang and students jumped through doors, she was always late and she still had four corridors to go.  
  
She's spent the weekend locked up in her dorm room and had only allowed on student entrance to see her, Severus. Now the Monday following Sirius' prank she had no choice but to go to class. That didn't mean she couldn't take her time getting there all the same, who needed DADA anyway? That crap was for aurors and shit like the Ministry; like she'd ever need to know how to kill a werewolf.  
  
The tapping of heels warned of a professors approach but she made no effort to hide, in fact she hoped it was Madame Sprout who -loved- taking points from her whenever the chance came, which was often. As she rounded the corner, strolling along as if enjoying the view and not as if late for class she came face to face with Professor McGonagall.  
  
The teacher stopped short, eyed her and gave a hopeless sigh. "This......." the woman motioned at Narcissa, "is new."  
  
'New' was an understatement- never before conceived, addle brained, stupid and revolutionary would have been better ways of putting the situation but McGonagall had never been one for synonyms......Narcissa loved playing with them.  
  
"Why, Miss Silvermoon, are you wearing a -boys- uniform?"  
  
Narcissa smiled, even the prof who understood her best was having trouble wrapping her thoughts around this one.  
  
When she'd ordered her new uniform, only having one at the beginning of the year to start with, she'd told Madam Malkin she was a sixth year transfer student. She'd sent the request with her measurements and her fathers' Gringotts volt number. She'd ordered a long sleeved shirt, a short sleeved polo, two pairs of slacks, a black robe with the Gryffindor sigil pre-sewn and a neck tie- a complete *male* Gryffindor uniform.  
  
The same uniform she was now sporting around school during the 1970's in a British Boarding School where the girls wore skirts and boys wore pants all the time, without exception.  
  
Narcissa loved to think herself the exception.......  
  
"What happened to -your- uniform?" asked her once almost-mother.  
  
She shrugged, "Black melted it."  
  
Shocked was not a common expression on Minervas' face, it really didn't belong there, "melted?"  
  
"Right off my back in front of my entire common room on Friday night. It was my only one so I had to order a new one."  
  
"I heard.........Why men's?"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
McGonagall sighed, "shouldn't you be in class?"  
  
Narcissa nodded, gave a small, quirky, salute to her professor and began walking earnestly towards Defense Against the Dark Arts. She got to the door, knowing she was extremely late and opened it, shutting it behind her. She turned to the class, robes undone down the front so everyone could see her outfit and waiting as her teacher turned around from where he was helping Peter Pettigrew understand something.  
  
"Ah, Miss Silvermoon....."  
  
Professor Marsh was possibly the most prejudice teacher in the school. He was the Ravenclaw head of house and valued one thing- heard working intelligence. An essay for homework after every class, and reports after every hands-on lesson he taught. He took sick delight in popping tests on them unexpectedly, and to top it all off the man hated her.  
  
She'd never forget the look on his face as he turned around. It was pure, unadulterated SHOCK. Narcissa smirked, she hadn't been to breakfast and only been seen by the few people in the halls and one teacher- this was news to everyone, even her dorm mates.  
  
Marsh opened his mouth, gaped like a fish for a moment, and with a disgusted noise at the back of his throat said, "Miss Silvermoon- I require an explanation for you state of dress- immediately-"  
  
"Black melted my uniform on Friday evening, this was all Madam Malkins Robes for All Occasions had in stock- no one orders uniforms mid-year."  
  
Marsh turned to Sirius who was staring at her with the same open-mouthed expression as the rest of the class, "Mister Black, what do you have to say for yourself?"  
  
Too stunned Black floundered for an answer, realizing he was on the brink of a second round of detention and looked to James who shook his head is disbelief. The teacher noticing this turned to Sirius' side-kick and asked, "Mister Potter?" he received neither recognition, nor answer from the second boy.  
  
In the back of the classroom Severus Snape cleared his throat. Now red in the face and seething Professor Marsh nodded to the usually silent Slytherin.  
  
"While studying in the common room on Friday evening, Sirius Black cast an devouring spell on Miss Silvermoons' clothing which disappeared."  
  
"And I had to replace it, professor, I couldn't very well run around in my nightgown!" Narcissa gave him a snooty shrug and as he scratched his head in irritation. Deciding to ignore the situation he waved Narcissa to her seat near the back and with all the grace of a bird of prey she swooped by him and took her seat regally, doing a fine job of ignoring the open stares she was receiving.  
  
"I will now be collecting your essays on Werewolves." Marsh started again and distracted by the need to get them out, the class once again began talking and turned back around to the front.  
  
Severus leaned over, "That was tame."  
  
"I haven't even begun." She muttered back out of the corner of her mouth. She hiked the outer-robe up so she wasn't sitting on it but so that it fell down either side of the seat she swung her legs up onto her desk, black boots in the air.  
  
The teacher fixed his eyes on her as she reclined comfortably in her chair. They narrowed seeing that she had not brought books with her and *scowled* as she gave him a bright smile.  
  
"Do you wish to get a detention Miss Silvermoon?"  
  
"Not really, no."  
  
"Get your feet," he towered over her, pointing menacingly at her boots, "off -my- desk."  
  
"Ummmmmmmm........" finger to her lips she pretended to think about it for a moment, "No."  
  
"Remove them or fail my class."  
  
"Professor," she gave him a pout that made his blood boil, "unlike every other uneducated prat in this class, that threat won't work on me because in the Ministry of Magics Code of Education manual section 73b it says you can't do that."  
  
Clutching a stack of essays under his arm he waved them in her face, "Your right, I can't, but I -can- fail you for not handing in any work- I have yet to receive -this- essay Miss Silvermoon."  
  
"I don't need to write your essays, Professor, their menial and stupid."  
  
"Oh? Writing these requires research and that research leads to deeper knowledge, how do you find you don't need that extended knowledge, it *will* be coming back in the exam you know."  
  
Narcissa shrugged, "I know it already." She fixed the teacher with a glare that was swiftly returned, a malicious glint in the Professors eye.  
  
"Oh? Everything?"  
  
"Yeah, everything!"  
  
He seemed to grit his teeth, "don't get cocky with me, Miss Silvermoon."  
  
She gave him a small smirk, "I'm afraid Professor, that I am quite physically incapable of 'getting cocky', if you catch my drift."  
  
"If you are so sure of your abilities Miss Silvermoon, why don't you get up to the front of the class and show us all what your essay would sound like -right now- and maybe I'll forgo the detention my tea leaves told me I'd be dishing out this morning."  
  
"Would you like it in five paragraphs or ten?"  
  
He straightened himself, his impressive six foot five stance trembling with indignation as he pointed at where his desk stood. "Two feet will do just fine." He growled.  
  
She stalked past him, nose in the air, turned once she reached his desk, gave Severus the smallest of smiles and fished her wand out of her pocket. She pulled a quill from there as well and with a spell set up the quill to write in mid-air. "Werewolves," she started, "Narcissa Silvermoon, 5th year Gryffindor, November 28." The writing appeared written in a neat red scrawl, a tape measure floating beside it to indicate length. She took a deep breath and began:  
  
Newt Scamander, in his book 'Fantastic Beats and Where to Find Them', hereby referred to as 'Beasts', says under the title 'Werewolf' that these creatures are found worldwide, are believed to have originated in northern Europe and actively seek out human prey against other types of flesh. It also classifies the danger level of a Werewolf as the most dangerous of creatures to the power of sixteen.  
  
He fails to mention however, infection, the physical traits found, weaknesses, similarities, aide programs, support groups, camps, prejudice against these creatures and myths in which Werewolves live their daily lives.  
  
To quote from Beasts, "Humans turn into Werewolves once a month at the full moon, the otherwise sane and normal wizard or Muggle afflicted transforms into a murderous beast." He fails completely to mention that pure-blooded Muggles are incapable of becoming Werewolves. Magic, no matter how distant or ancient in a bloodline, is necessary for the transformation to occur. Upon the first full moon a pure-blooded Muggle encounters after being bitten by a Werewolf they die instantaneously from the magical saliva in their blood seeking release non-magic beings cannot provide.  
  
It is also known that the more magic a Werewolf practices and harvests, the easier the transformation becomes.  
  
Werewolf bites can be reversed within the first week of infection by a procedure known as Cleansing. This procedure involves the complete removal of all blood from the body, cleaning it of the saliva and re-pumping the victim. After a week however, this procedure becomes nil because the tissue has absorbed the blood and the saliva becomes a part of the victim.  
  
A Werewolf when not transformed can be of any height, weight, race, coloring and ethnic. The wolf does not change them as it is believed, but they create, through who they are, their own wolf. If a person has close-cropped red hair, the wolf will have short- reddish fur. If a person is overweight, the wolf too with be overweight. It is assumed that a Werewolf's eyes are yellow but that is not the case- the wolf simply lightens the colour of one's eyes but does not change it complexly. Super strength, animalistic reactions, heightened super sensitive senses and the addition of a sixth sense and night vision are other attributes bestowed upon the Werewolf.  
  
Physical Weaknesses found in the Werewolf are nil. They simply do not exist. Physical prowess, sixth sense, uncanny night vision aid the Werewolf at stalking prey while human instinct, still found while during the full moon draw these creatures to fire as a human comfort that we identify with security.  
  
Similarities between one Werewolf to another can be few and far between. Most have problems finding jobs, and staying clean but physical similarities are almost nonexistent. Werewolves have one main similarity that they almost always share- the love of chocolate, sweets and red-meat.  
  
Aid programs are neither funded by the Ministry nor accepted in society. Support groups survive only by members and only in the underground here in Europe. Those in need of help are too afraid to seek it for fear of meeting rejection, the Werewolves in question are immediately sent to camps to keep them in custody. For those wizards and witches who are caught supporting, attending or helping with such meetings, the penalty is five years in Azkaban.  
  
Werewolf camps are nothing better than abandoned Muggle prisons where the Werewolves are kept in cells under heavy sedation with no hope of release ever. Unlike support groups these institutions are funded by the Ministry and supported by the media as being 'safe' and 'proper'.  
  
Werewolves are seen in childrens' tales as monsters who hate humans and crave their flesh at all times, it is never conceived that these beings never asked for this bane upon them. Prejudice in society comes from Purebloods, Muggle-borns and half bloods all the same, only hatred is ever shown to these beings.  
  
Myths surrounding the Werewolf are destructive and many. Firstly, the Werewolf does not only transform during the full moon, during moments of heightened emotion, blood lust, or the loss of a mate a Werewolf can transform at any time of the lunar cycle, anywhere. Secondly wearing the tooth of a Werewolf will not ward off attack or save you from a bite. Thirdly, silver does not kill a Werewolf, only disintegrates their flesh or burns them depending on their breed, this causes irritation and pushes the Werewolf to greater blood-lust. Fourthly, lying in pretend death will not send a Werewolf away- they can hear your heart beating. And lastly 'Lycanthropy' and Werewolfism are two different diseases and not the same thing. Lycanthropy is a mental state of mind in which a person simply believes they become a wolf and experiences no transformation whatsoever.  
  
Of course there are different breeds of Werewolves, several potions and charms making transformation easier and of course, the history of Werewolves but the basics are before you, make of them what you will.  
  
Narcissa stopped, seeing that she'd done two and a half feet for Marsh and looked for his approval. It was the second time in one day she'd knocked his socks off.  
  
"Miss.......Miss Silvermoon, do you.....you mean to tell me that every paper you failed to hand in, you didn't write because you had -this- base of fact?!"  
  
She shrugged and nodded nonchalantly. Her eye was caught by Sirius Black who was glowering at her and for the first time she noticed the class before her- when her mouth took over she seemed to daze out and focus on the many texts she'd read instead of her audience. Lily was wide-eyed in admiration, as were her other two dorm-mates. Remus seemed not to know what to make of her, his honey eyes fixated on her words that hung in mid air. James was re-reading her essay, nodding and jotting things down and the Slytherins seemed on the verge of jumping to their feet with applause- she'd risen to Marsh's taunt and beat him at his own game.  
  
"Um......" still trying to find words their professor waved a hand from the class to Narcissa, "are their any questions for Miss Silvermoon?"  
  
Lily, glancing around and seeing no other takers asked, "how do you know so much about Werewolves? I raided the library and some of what you said wasn't there......"  
  
"I've read through books in more than several countries."  
  
Lily nodded as Lukas Mcnair asked a general question in a mocking tone of voice, "Why would you read about monsters?"  
  
"I read about Werewolves for the same reason you read PlayWitch."  
  
"What," scoffed Black in laughter, "to get off?"  
  
"Actually, Black, I do have a certain attraction to them, if that's what you're implying."  
  
Cassidy Clearwater choked, "That's disgusting!"  
  
"Depends on what you define as disgusting, there are people who won't date Slytherin and those who will- I'll date a Werewolf, they're human all the time save for one night a month."  
  
"But, " Cassidy challenged, glaring at Narcissa who knew the girl had a crush on Bryant Parkison, a Slytherin sixth year, "Slytherins are human."  
  
"You sure about that?" Severus asked, chuckling as she turned her glare to him.  
  
"Snakes don't count, Snape." Black glowered.  
  
"Neither do -dogs-." Severus shot back vehemently.  
  
James choked, Remus kicked him in the leg.  
  
"Thank-you Miss Silvermoon- ninety-eight percent for your essay, two points deducted for unnecessary sexual remarks and the sharing of preferences. Class dismissed." Marsh said brushing his class towards the door.  
  
A/N: I know, my essay sucked but I figure I had to write *something*........ oh well, next chapter Remus tells his friends about the basics of Werewolf sexuality and asks Narcissa to the Yule Ball....... Her answer......? 


	7. Chapter Six: Fuck Friends Who Just Dont ...

Screw the Ministry Cause it Can't Screw Back  
  
By: Reirei no miko: Reirei_no_miko@hotmail.com  
  
Warnings: This chapter: PG-13 swearing and adult situations Whole Story: R for angst, rape, torture and psychological manipulation  
  
Chapter 6- Fuck Friends Who Just Don't Get It  
  
It had been quite the day. Lily, Cassidy and Ethel had cornered her just before lunch to ask about the pants and their comfort. They had all agreed that she was brave for doing it and that Black had learned his lesson about harassing girls over the weekend when no one had spoken to him.  
  
But now it was fairly late in the evening and she and Severus had just come from a last minute cram session for a pop quiz they'd be having in Potions tomorrow. Lucius had just been heading their way when she'd taken her leave, they hadn't spoken since the Quidditch party and Narcissa heard from other Slytherins that she was on his black list, so she was avoiding him as valiantly as possible.  
  
Now at the portrait of the Pink Lady she said a polite hello and gave the password, 'Flutterby'. The common room was fairly full but she spotted Lily and her friends seated with the 5th year boys surrounding the fire. She was waved over and made her way over to the group. Remus stared at her a moment longer than usual and she gave him a smile which he returned softly before ducking his head, honey-brown bangs covering his eyes in a shaggy fringe. Black gave her a thin lipped nod and James regarded her warily before quirking his lips up in a half smile and turning back to his book. Peter wouldn't meet her eyes.  
  
"We're writing that Potions paper, are you done?" Lily chirped, pulling her down between herself and Ethel who smiled at her brightly.  
  
"No, and don't bother- Jigger's won't be picking it up."  
  
Everyone lifted their eyes, "He's the Slytherin Head of House and was a Slytherin in his youth, he understands the prejudice against them, he's awfully bitter about it, so he gives his house notice about test questions and what papers he will and won't be picking up."  
  
"You're not a Slytherin." Pointed out Black rudely, he ran a hand through his hair briskly waiting for her answer.  
  
"I've been accepted as an honorary Slytherin though, and I'm in their common room often enough to count as one, so I get let in on things like the quiz tomorrow."  
  
"Quiz, tomorrow?" Lily squeaked.  
  
Narcissa put a dainty hand over her mouth, "oops, did I say that we were having a quiz in potions on chapter six out loud? Did I also accidentally mention that we'll have to brew a sleeping potion without use of notes and that the written bonus question is going to pertain to page number 854 of Jiggers text book? How silly of me to let that slip."  
  
Peter snorted with laughter and Remus let out a low chortle. Lily clapped her hands in amusement, covering them over her smiling mouth.  
  
"No wonder the Slytherin do so well in Potions." Black groused.  
  
"And so badly in Herbology, Astronomy, Ancient Ruins, Flying and Divination, the teachers are just as prejudice against them as the students. If the Slytherins didn't do so well in Potions and other houses so poorly, they wouldn't only be bigoted against for being 'evil' but for being stupid as well!"  
  
Lily shot Black a look that Narcissa caught but let slide because the retort on Sirius' lips died instantly. Peter was watching her with intense curiosity at the moment and she turned to him raising an eyebrow. His face flushed but he kept eye-contact until his flush disappeared. He glanced to Sirius who was busy looking up page 854 in 'Magical Drafts and Potions' for their bonus question answer. Seeing this Peter turned back and gave a small smile. "You can ah..... do charms right? Really well?"  
  
She shrugged, she was fairly good at them. Nodding she took the text Peter handed her and saw the underlined charm she guessed he was trying to learn. "Ah, Sonorus." She said, "That's the charm we used during the Quidditch match."  
  
She studiously ignored Black and Potters' glares and Lily's choked giggle. Peter shrugged off another blush and said "I need to pull up my charms homework and Flitwick said he'd bring it up ten percent if I could master this charm, I just can't get it to work."  
  
Narcissa nodded, "Instead of the 'swish and flick' wand wave Flitwick teaches, try pointing and then tapping it in mid air."  
  
Peter nodded, "But who...?"  
  
Lily turned around glancing for some good fun and motioned towards a group of sixth year girls giggling together in a corner, they were glancing at their group every so often and Lily got a huge grin. "Those are the biggest gossips in school- try it out Peter!"  
  
Smiling the blond boy nodded and as everyone raised their eyes from what they were doing they turned their attention to the girls. "Sonorus." A point and tap of wand later, voices were echoing through the common room.  
  
"Well, Black is sex on wheels, but his friends are just so odd. James would be cute, he just needs to lose the glasses and tame his hair, Peter is a little lard bucket, he should watch what he eats and Lupin could not only use a haircut but really needs some new clothes, I hear he's as poor as a church mouse!" the girls burst into giggles. They suddenly realized the entire common room was staring at them, blushed, and promptly ran from the room.  
  
Peter lowered his wand, stunned and covered himself self-consciously with his arms as James fingered his hair and Remus shifted quietly.  
  
"I can't believe them! Insulting their own house!" Black snarled, despite the 'sex on wheels' comment.  
  
Narcissa raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The next day Narcissa and her dorm mates were up getting ready for school. She sat in front of the mirror deciding which shade to dye it from the dull brown it had been the past couple of days.  
  
"I still can't believe what those girls said last night!" Cassidy said, pulling a brush through her hair.  
  
Lily was tying ribbons at the end of her several braids thoughtfully. "I don't think James needs to tame his hair- it's very rugged and romantic!"  
  
Ethel sighed, pulling on her knee high socks, "Peter's not a lard bucket." She stated, fixing her skirt, "they were horrible to say so."  
  
Narcissa, deciding on a black tinted red shade sighed melodramatically, with a flick of her wrist she brought the strands to a shaggy, in her face, tousled, beatles cut and stated, "so ask the boys to the Yule Ball and prove them wrong."  
  
Lily giggled, "Ask boys to the Yule Ball? That's so....so......"  
  
"Revolutionary? Out of the ordinary? Different?" Narcissa stood, and began tying her neck tie pointedly. Save for her prominent breasts which were outlined drastically in her uniform which was not meant for figures she looked like a boy, her hair cut the way it was. "Come on, let the school know I've rubbed off on you a little! Ask the guys, after that bash to their ego, their not going to be asking anyone anytime soon!"  
  
Lily sighed, "I've been dropping hints to James for -years- now, he just doesn't get it!"  
  
"I'd rather like to go with Peter...." Ethel mused, slipping on her shoes.  
  
"I guess that leaves Remus!" Cassidy said, pulling on her blazer. The other girls nodded and together trooped out the door and down the stairs to where their Gryffindor fifth year counterparts were waiting for them.  
  
"Let's go!" Lily chirped grabbing James' arm and pulling him through the portrait hole as he protest to being dragged around weakly.  
  
It was certainly new for Narcissa, walking with -them-. Through school she'd always felt a detached resentment for this gang, the 'popular' crowd so to speak. She'd been known as an outcast, looked down upon even, but now, being accepted by them was something she'd never conceived as a possible reality.  
  
But Lily was making her laugh, Remus was warm beside her, and even Black wasn't being a complete git. James was tripping Black and Black was punching Remus and Peter had started a running commentary like during Quidditch and it was like having friends like her- outgoing, loud and spontaneous. It was new. She liked it.  
  
She saw Severus striding towards them, a grim hitch in his step and the group came to a halt as they came face to face. "Sev?"  
  
He gave a disgusted twist of his nose, "Malfoy is headed this way, I suggest you turn around and bolt it you don't want to-"  
  
"Severus! Thank you so much for finding her." All blue eyed, thin faced, pink lipped and blond Lucius came walking towards them. Narcissa took an involuntary step backwards but Severus came to stand behind her to keep her from running away. Face to face Lucius took her hand and right there in the hallway, he kissed it. Dry and light but oh so disgusting she gave him a wry smile and tried to pull her hand back. He held fast and got to one knee where he conjured up a single red rose out of thin air and held it out for her.  
  
"My dearest, most fair Narcissa Silvermoon, I would be most honored if you would do me the eternal joy of accompanying my to the upcoming Yule Ball." He gave her a genuine smile but deep in his eyes she saw that this was a game and she was the prize, she'd been marked as prey and Lucius wouldn't quite till he'd won.  
  
"My apologies Mister Malfoy but I'm afraid that I'm going with someone already." She grit.  
  
A slender (obviously plucked) eyebrow rose, "And who may that be?" he stood, drawing himself to his full dangerous height.  
  
Narcissa felt a rush of wind beside her and from the corner of her eye say Remus Lupin standing there looking petrified.  
  
"You?" asked Malfoy, sneering down at Remus who had turned to snarl at Lily. "And who are you to take Narcissa to the Yule Ball?" the blond took a step forward, wand drawn menacingly.  
  
Severus' fingers tightened around her shoulders as he kept her from jumping the pureblood. "Perhaps Lucius you should simply accept facts the way they are and not traumatize the ladies present? And you've yet to ask for a dance, it's not like their married."  
  
Lucius shot a silent death threat at Severus before returning to his charming, smiling self, "Narcissa are you sure you wouldn't rather go with me?"  
  
"My......I'm always true to my word Lucius- I'm sorry." She was watching Remus who looked pale out of the corner of her eye.  
  
The Slytherin sighed and held out the rose all the same, "fine, but you absolutely must save me a dance, then. You will won't you Narcissa?"  
  
She accepted the rose and nodded. He mirrored her and turned on his heel to walk away. She felt that she was trembling and glanced down at rose in her hand. "I'm a piece of meat, Severus. I don't want to play his bloody games."  
  
"Then don't," he said, then he turned to Remus, "but you'd better as hell go together or we're all *dead*."  
  
The rose in Narcissas' hand burst into flame. She watched it burn slowly.  
  
"You'll need to replace that, it's a favor you know- you'll be expected to bring it to the Ball."  
  
"I hate him."  
  
"It could be worse, you could be betrothed."  
  
A dry laugh bounced off the wall nearest them, "His parents wouldn't let him marry a muggle-loving bitch like me." The burnt flower before her was suddenly crushed in vehemence, ashes falling to the floor like gray snow.  
  
"How very melodramatic of you, Narcissa."  
  
Cassidy cleared her throat, "Say Sirius, do you have a date for the Yule Ball?"  
  
"No why?"  
  
"Neither do I, come with me?"  
  
Narcissa turned to her red-headed friend who smiled and winked at her. *Respect* surrounded her, Severus gave her shoulder one last squeeze in farewell and walked away. She lifted her eyes to Remus nervously, he was watching her with the solemnity of a funeral director. The look made her stomach butterflies burst to life and she looked away quickly.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
He was pacing, a soft, peach hand raking his hair every two seconds, warm, herbal-tea eyes darting frantically around in desperation, nervous teeth scratching at a dry lower lip while a lightning quick tongue flitted across the upper half. "I can't just -ask- her, do you know what I am?"  
  
James was watching the display sympathetically, under Lilys' acceptation the year before to a date in Hogsmead he'd been in much the same condition- he still was now, but she'd asked him to the Yule Ball and for that he'd been grateful, it sure took a load off of his shoulders.  
  
Peter smiled sadly, hugging his pillow as his eyes followed their friends' pacing back and forth and back and forth......  
  
"I could hurt her!"  
  
Sirius scoffed, he sat on a chair either leg on one side of the back which came to his chest where his arms were folded. "If anything happens Rem, no one's going to miss her."  
  
Remus rounded on him viciously, "Siri, would you stop it?! Narcissa may be my one chance at finding someone who'll se past what I am!"  
  
"Remmy," Sirius chided, "You can do better."  
  
A low growl resounded through the room, "Name one girl in this school that would accept me, knowing what I am and what I'm capable of!"  
  
"Lily."  
  
James started to protest, one hand in the air to stop a retort but Remus threw him a look as if to say 'she's yours- keep her and stay out of this' and turned back to Padfoot, "no offense but James can keep her- I really can't see a gently reared girl like her willingly date a monster. You all remember how you reacted? You thought that big bad Remus was going to come eat you in your sleep like the monster he is!"  
  
"And Narcissa is better then Lily because she *is* a monster?" Sirius shot out.  
  
"Sirius! Just because you don't like her-"  
  
"Remus, -why her-?"  
  
"WHY NOT?"  
  
Sirius stood up, kicking the chair aside, he stalked over to his shorter friend so they were nose to nose, "She's a bloody Slytherin Moony! Years of Shit doesn't just disappear when you close your eyes! She's a traitor!"  
  
"I like her!"  
  
"I just don't get why it has to be her! There are hundreds of pretty, available girls in this school, Moony- I just don't get what you see in her!"  
  
"You're right Sirius, you don't see, not a damned thing! I'm sixteen years old and I've never kissed a girl in my life! I've been too damned scared of hurting her, or myself in the process! Too damned scared of her finding out, after she's my mate and running away in fear! And then I get to listen to you three and your snog sessions, dates and late night rendez-vous while I sit on my arse living with the knowledge that NO ONE with EVER see me anything less then a MONSTER!"  
  
Sirius stood in shock, pain filled with betrayal and anger filled his friends face, "Moony......I......."  
  
James walked up and put a hand on Remus' shoulder, "why did you never say anything?"  
  
He shrugged, rolling the hand off him, "What did you want me to say? Oh pity the Werewolf? I figured I'd just find any girl who'd have me, pray she didn't run off and hope you guys would support us......but Narcissa'll have me just as I am and I want her so *why* can't you just accept that?"  
  
Sirius sighed, his face melting into anxiousness, "You really think she's just going to shrug it off and accept it?"  
  
"I'm willing to try, Siri."  
  
"And if she rejects you?" James asked quietly still standing behind him, giving strength with his presence.  
  
"At least I tried."  
  
"So try with someone else! Moony! I want to see you happy, don't get me wrong, but she's just not good for you!"  
  
Remus raised his eyes from the floor to his best friends' gray gaze, "I think that's for me to decide, Sirius."  
  
"As your friends we're suppose to help you make the right decisions......."  
  
"As my friends you're supposed to accept my choice of female companion and get off my back!"  
  
Sirius clenched his fists, "What do you see in her?"  
  
Remus turned away running a hand through his hair again. He crossed and uncrossed his arms, it was obvious he had no intention of answering.  
  
"You know, after everything we've done for you, become animagi, stay with you on the nights of the full moon, hide your secret- you're choosing some girl over all of that?"  
  
Remus reared, eyes blazing with a passion they'd never seen before, eyes glowing a yellow they only saw once a month, "Your just obsessed with the idea of having a tame Werewolf aren't you, Sirius? I'm asking her to the Yule Ball, this isn't a matter of choosing sides, winning or losing, it's a matter the heart! I like her Sirius, if the Ball goes well we may just date and to HELL with what you care! You're fine with Lily and James and you couldn't care less about Peter and Ethel but Remus wants to date the -one girl- who's had the guts to do what you never did- leave home! And now I have to suffer for that? Go bark up a tree Sirius and when you're bloody well ready to accept what I'm choosing to do with my love life come back and see me!" Remus whirled on his heel and nearly ripped the door from his hinges as he tore it open.  
  
Sirius, not about to let his pride go bruised without having the last comment strode after him, glad everyone was at dinner so they didn't make a scene.  
  
Remus was halfway down the stairs when Black made it to the stone banister that overlooked the common room.  
  
The portrait swung open just as Remus, still seething, reached the last step which faced the opening head on.  
  
James and Peter stood silently beside Black at the rail as Narcissa Silvermoon and Severus Snape climbed into the red room.  
  
Remus approached them, collecting himself slowly. He stopped just before reaching them and ran his hand through his hair once more, his left foot lifting to hitch around the ankle of his right. "Uh, Narcissa?" he murmured. She lifted an eyebrow at him, giving a small smile.  
  
James could *see* Remus blush even though his back was to the three Marauders.  
  
"WouldyougototheYuleBallwithme?" came out in a heave of air and everyone stood still- the silence was pregnant as Narcissa lifted her eyes to Severus, trailed them up to the three boys who stood like phantoms watching the scene and back to Remus who had forgotten to breath.  
  
"Sure."  
  
A/N: damn she's the luckiest girl in the world isn't she? Yay! Yule Ball next chapter, be there or be high like Aranna and Justin! 


	8. Chapter Seven: Fuck Being the School Bit...

Screw the Ministry Cause it Can't Screw Back  
  
By: Reirei no miko: Reirei_no_miko@hotmail.com  
  
Warnings: This chapter: PG-13 swearing and adult situations Whole Story: R for angst, rape, torture and psychological manipulation  
  
Chapter 7- Fuck being the School Bitch  
  
"This would look good."  
  
Severus turned his head to eye Narcissa carefully. They were in his dorm- room, the five, four poster beds hung with heavy velvet green hangings, the wood a rich oak. The still burnt-redhead stood, her face stuck in his wardrobe, poking around and pulling things out every so often. "Or this." She held up another black silk dress robe and he rolled his eyes turning back to his book -Macbeth by the wizard playwright Shakespeare.  
  
"Ohhhhh, this is nice." She was fingering his new forest green robe- he knew it by the sound it was making as she ran it through her fingers. He was sure she would look stunning in it but he also knew that -he- would be sporting it the next day.  
  
"You should wear, oh I don't know, a *gown* or something equally as feminine?" he drawled.  
  
She made a disgusting noise at the back of her throat. "Uh, no, I think I'll just borrow this." She took a black silk robe out of his closet- it was a little small and he didn't wear it much but he shut his book and stood up anyway to protect his property.  
  
"You'll not wear that, Silvermoon. You're going with Remus Lupin and you'll dress accordingly."  
  
She rolled the robe up with a malicious gleam in her eye and gave him a wide eyed expression of utter confusion. "Or what? You'll hex me?"  
  
He pulled out his wand and she took off running out his door in a flash.  
  
The chase was on.  
  
Out his dorm, into the common room, up a flight of stairs, through the brick wall, down the hall, up a flight of stairs, skipping the trick step, down another hall, more stairs, and more stairs, around a corner, down another hall, bowling over some Hufflepuff first year and to the still open portrait of the Fat Lady. Rushing through just as the Pink Lady was shutting he was only behind Narcissa by a couple feet. She was laughing, still clutching his clothing and he was out of breath- a bookworm did not run much, after all. She galloped up the last flight of stairs and barricaded herself in her room with the slamming of her thick wooden door as he tore after her and skidded to a halt.  
  
"Silvermoon, give me back my robes THIS INSTANT! You'll dress properly for the Ball and I won't have you wearing MY ROBES! GIVE THEM BACK!" he pounded on the door yelling obscenities for a couple of moments before a shock of red hair beside him made his whirl on the new victim.  
  
Lily gave a weak smile at the seething Slytherin. "Don't worry, we'll get you your robe back and make sure she looks good for the Ball."  
  
"She doesn't have a dress."  
  
"We'll find her something." Lily nodded reassuringly. "It's a girl thing."  
  
Sighing in defeat, he turned and left, ignoring the stares he was receiving from all angles.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
There came another loud screech from upstairs but by now everyone in the common room was so used to it, they didn't even flinch; it had been going on for several hours already.  
  
It was seven o'clock in the evening, the Yule Ball was starting about now but only teachers would be there, everyone knew that things didn't pick up for nearly an hour after the 'official' commencement. But by the sounds coming from the girls' dorm it would be a while before they'd be leaving.  
  
He could pick up Narcissas' voice among the squeals, screams and shouting upstairs, her's was mingled with the other sounds that surrounded him, laughter, shuffling feet, nervous, animated talk........ but his wolf sense was delving through this mass of clutter filling his ears and howling at him in anticipation.  
  
He ran a hand through his neatly brushed hair and shot his sleeves nervously. He was ever grateful to Peter, that all other classes besides, was a transfigurations whiz and had turned one of his older robes into a masterful dress robe of black and gold. He'd never have found something so nice that fell within his price range (not that he -had- a price range) but this was perfect, of course it had cost him a week of extra homework, but that's how the world turned.  
  
He'd learned to trust his senses long ago. When he 'felt' someone behind him, he knew they were, whether they announced their presence or not. The Marauders still thought they could get away with scaring him by coming up behind him- they were very wrong. Even with his stomach in knots he could smell James and as a hand fell on his shoulder sharper and harder then anything friendly he knew that both Peter and Sirius were there as well. But as he inhaled deeply, at least to give them a small show, he noticed a faint floral smell that hung like perfume, masking their natural smells. //Flowers.....// it dawned on him. They said they were going out, he'd decided to stay and they'd went off and bought flowers......... a luxury he couldn't afford.  
  
Sirius came around the wingback chair, smiling and holding a bouquet of a dozen red roses tied with red and gold lace, baby's breath and pine needles accenting them nicely. "Can't scare you anymore hunh Moony?" Sirius was dressed in a black and red formal robe that looked stunning and very, very new. Peter took a seat beside him a smaller, less extravagant bouquet of a mix of roses, wildflowers and greenery that was of so much variety it burst with colour. Peter gave him a small shrug and sheepishly fumbled with a clasp on his red and gold dress robe.  
  
Remus' heart fell, James, of course, bought Lily flowers and since all the fifth year Gryffindor boys were taking their female counterparts he'd be the only one without a floral offering.......  
  
James stepped into view, but didn't seat himself like the other two. He did however tower over Remus in his red and gold dress robe, hair a mess, glasses sitting on his nose sliding a little too far down, a large (larger then both Peter and Sirius' put together) of lily of the valley, roses, daisies and a slight touch of babys' breath wrapped in what looked like a silk covering the stems and white lace dripped almost to his knees.  
  
"Are you all out to make me look bad?" he asked mournfully, suddenly very conscious of his transfigured robes, polished every-day shoes and brushed back hair........  
  
Sirius shook his head, "Moony," he said very seriously, " Malfoy was in the flower shop in Hogsmead,"  
  
Remus shook his head, //the whole school was probably in that flower shop......//  
  
"He was leaving when he asked where you were, we told him you were here and he went back in- cut the line and ordered the biggest, most expensive bouquet there was and said 'throw some Narcissa in there, their not nearly beautiful as the girl I'm going to sweep off of her feet but they'll do."  
  
James nodded solemnly.  
  
"And this is supposed to cheer me up!?" Remus demanded, getting to his feet, ready to just call it quits. // I can't win if my friends aren't backing me and I'm up against Malfoy.//  
  
"Au contraire!" Peter chirped, jumping up.  
  
James grinned, "This is." From behind his back he pulled out a stunning Christmas arrangement of roses, pine needles, pinecones and mistletoe. Struck speechless he floundered for words of thanks but couldn't find any that were adequate.  
  
"I think he'd grateful." Peter said turned to James who put the flowers in his friends trembling hands.  
  
"Thank you so much....... I......."  
  
James waved his hand, "Don't thank me, Rem. It was Sirius' idea."  
  
Eyes wide Remus turned to his still seated Padfoot. The latter shrugged uncomfortably fiddling with the laces, "I don't want Malfoy to show you up- you're better then him."  
  
"He didn't want you to lose your girl cause he sees how happy you've been since she said yes." James filled in, sitting down in a love seat to Remus' right. Peter followed suit while Sirius shot them both dirty looks. "I just like seeing you happy, Moony, I just wish it was with someone else, but it's your life and if she makes you happy then I support it and I won't let Malfoy screw it up."  
  
"Thank you, Sirius, that means a lot."  
  
They shared a smile and nodded- they were friends and would be happy for each other.  
  
The portrait hole opened and everyone turned to see Severus Snape standing in the opening.  
  
Black jumped to his feet, putting his bouquet down, and strode over to meet the Slytherin.  
  
"Snape, how did you get in?"  
  
Black eyes swiveled to meet the Gryffindor who stood two inches shorter then the green velvet dressed pureblood. "Your painting let me in."  
  
Black was about to answer something when a shriek erupted from upstairs, the boys shared a look.  
  
"I'm supposed to go give these-" he motioned to some jewelry in his hands, "to Evans."  
  
James, one hand on Sirius' shoulder, nodded. They all watched as the Slytherin walked up the stairs, knocked on the door, was confronted with a hand in which he put the cluster of metal and jewels and came back down. Where he took a seat.  
  
"You've made you delivery." Black said.  
  
"I have no intention of missing -this- show."  
  
Another shrill shriek from the closed room made them all quiver.  
  
Half an hour later the common room was empty save for the still awaiting fifth years and Severus. Black had been glaring at the Slytherin for almost that entire time wondering how he could not be worried, listening to the swearing, screaming and thudding that was going on.  
  
The noise stopped and a moment later the door opened quietly. All the boys stood up, picked up their bouquets and stood in a line, looking up at the stone balcony patiently awaiting to see the effect so many hours of preparation had accomplished. Ethel emerged, dark hair pinned up in curls that framed her face elegantly, she smiled brightly at Peter and came down the stairs eagerly. He gave her a kiss on the cheek, said hello and offered her the flowers which she accepted with another charming smile. Cassidy came next, her golden gown glimmering in contrast with her soft, straight orange hair. As she came to the foot of the steps, Sirius chivalrously helped her down the last one and with a grand sweeping motion presented her with her flowers. She gave an effeminate sigh of surprise and accepted them graciously allowing Sirius to give her a full kiss on the lips. He turned to give James a 'thumbs up' and with a quick motion Potter told Black he had lipstick on his mouth. Lily came next and all humour at his friends' red mouth was forgotten as he found himself lost in the sight. A deep red dress, matching her deep red hair which was half curled, half pinned and half plaited with small bursts of what looked to be gold painted baby's breath, red shoes and delicate red-gold jewelry of the tear-drop sort brought out Lily's clearly green eyes. The simplest of make-up and more than a little blush, she had only eyes for James as he took her hand and gave her her flowers which she accepted sweetly, her blush deepening to a near-crimson.  
  
Remus turned his eyes up to the stone balcony and waited.  
  
Everyone else turned, and waited.  
  
Lily cleared her throat, and waited.  
  
And waited.  
  
"Narcissa!" Lily called out to the open door, "If you don't come down, we'll get Lucius to come here to get his dance!"  
  
"No you won't!" came a small, scared sounding voice.  
  
"They won't, I will." Severus spoke up, crossing his arms. Lily gave him a grateful smile, they all knew he would, too.  
  
"Severus why are you still here?"  
  
"I couldn't miss seeing you dressed up darling!"  
  
"I'm not dressed up, I'm dressed down!" came her desperate wail.  
  
Impressed the Slytherin turned to the nervously fidgeting girls. "You got her in her natural hair and eye colour?"  
  
They nodded a little sourly but smiled at Remus reassuringly, "She's beautiful Remus."  
  
Sirius gave a snort saying, "What, are you afraid we'll laugh, Silvermoon?"  
  
"You -will- laugh!"  
  
Remus barely caught himself as Snape pushed him two steps forward, "Call out to her! Make her want to come down!" he hissed.  
  
Remus swallowed desperate. "If....... Ah......if you, um, don't want to, ah, go......... Then, ah, I can just, um, stay here........."  
  
There was a pause, a heavy sigh and a cursed, "I hate you Severus." Before the door opened completely and Remus dropped his flowers.  
  
She stopped at the top of the stairs, a pink blush staining her cheeks as she gave a weak smile to them all below before turning to come down the stairs. She looked like an angel. Her white-honey blond hair loose in soft wavy curls that fell past her hips, bright-ocean blue eyes and a creamy, perfect complexion. Accenting this was a black velvet dress with red and green roses embroidered in delicate silk on both neck and sleeves. A heavy golden, ruby encrusted belt hung nearly off of her hips and dangled to past- knee length ending in a fist sized rose ball. Vines climbed this and the theme was carried through her necklace where a similar rose hung from vines also. A simple yet elegant pendant hung from her forehead again carrying the vines and sporting a dangling red ruby that shone from between her eyebrows. Her sleeves were medieval looking, long and swooping, they fell from her elbows in a near triangle to her delicate white wrists. As she came around the curve of the stairs they could hear her slippers brushing the stone floor as her circle skirt flowed around her gracefully, hugging every curve she normally hid.  
  
Remus was so absorbed by his shock that Lily jumped forward (knowing he wouldn't take the initiative) swooped down grabbing his forgotten and dropped flowers, closed his mouth, pushed the bouquet into his hand, and shoved him forward. He stumbled a bit but came to the foot of the stairs and caught himself against the wall- not crushing his gift thankfully. Narcissa smiled at him, a genuinely beautiful smile and tripped over the hem of her skirt.  
  
He caught her and she spent a moment readjusting herself, relishing his embrace. He held her gently, smelling her and feeling her and touching the soft waves of hair that flowed down her back in cascades. Neither said a word, it seemed they didn't have to, he smiled and she returned in kind. He handed her the flowers, her smile grew, and his reciprocated. James cleared his throat and they turned, both looking deliriously happy, and it seemed infectious because soon everyone was smiling.  
  
Severus stepped forward and took Narcissas' hand, the one Remus wasn't holding. "Severus." She demurred in a voice Remus reveled in- he'd never heard her speak so softly before.  
  
"She speaks!" a mischievous grin passed the Slytherins lips as he continued, kissing her hand, "O, speak again, bright angel, for thou art/As glorious to this night, being o'er my head, /As is a winged messenger of heaven /Unto the white-upturned wond'ring eyes/ Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him /When he bestrides the lazy puffing clouds  
  
And sails upon the bosom of the air." He turned his eyes meaningfully back to Remus who suddenly looked a little nervous, "Take care of her, Romeo or the Capulets' will seek your blood."  
  
A/N: Wow this was supposed to *BE* the Yule Ball but it's all just getting ready for the Yule Ball......... um, so again, next chapter is the Yule Ball (I swear!) and the chapter after that is the walk *after* the Yule Ball...... Geeze, am I too long winded, should I cut down on detail or something? Keep it like this or change it up? Comments, questions, hate it, love it, please just say something! 


End file.
